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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24549271">Maybe I'm Not So Lost</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/iLock2594/pseuds/iLock2594'>iLock2594</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Violence, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Love, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Recovery, Romance, Sex, Sexual Content</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:48:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>52,812</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24549271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/iLock2594/pseuds/iLock2594</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Isabella is turning 18. As she explores the desires of learning to breed or research Pokemon, she accompanies her best friend Hop on his Gym Challenge. Falling for his brother was an unintended side effect. However, as she leaves the bubble of her safe hometown, she begins to learn the world is more cruel and evil than she thought. Battling illness, injury, emotional and psychological abuse, and even violence, Isabella begins to learn more about life than Pokemon. Thankfully, she's not alone...</p><p>Story loosely follows main plot of Sw/Sh games. Dark themes and explicit content.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dande | Leon/Original Character(s), Hop/Mary | Marnie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Found You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Story will involve quite a few explicit scenes -- some relating to sex, some relating to violence. There will be domestic violence, non-consensual drug use, sex, and other dark themes. I write this fully intending for the themes to be strong, so please be aware that there will be content like that inside. There's only a few OCs in this fic and it loosely follows the Sword/Shield plotline. Main focus is Leon/FemOC, but there will be Hop/Marnie and suggested Raihan/Sonia.<br/>I'm pulling this from my account over on FFN because I didn't realize they were removing explicit content and I started writing this fully intending to have explicit content in it lol.</p><p>I'll do my best to warn about any explicit content in chapters so you're aware. Better to assume this is a NSFW fic, just in case.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Come on, sweetheart, you can’t have all the apples.”</p><p>A low, pitchy chirp echoed from the hollowed out tree stump. Isabella chuckled in a soft manner as she watched her young Axew stumble out, tripping over fancy apples as he attempted to carry them back to his loving partner. He let out a deep huff as he dropped his shoulders, staring deadpan at the apples scattered around him. Isabella folded her arms, staring down at her tiny dragon. He began kicking his feet, knocking the apples from side to side while grumbling. Isabella laughed, knelt down, and cleared the apples away. He let out a quick breath through his nose and turned to look up at her. His eyes were narrowed, but softened as he caught her emerald gaze. Isabella beamed at him. His ruby eyes always brought butterflies to her stomach. He gave a loud chirp and waved his small arms up in the air. She grinned and picked him up.</p><p>“Come on, little one. Why don’t we take these apples back to Hop and Wooloo, huh?”</p><p>Another buoyant chirp sounded from her best friend. Isabella let out another chuckle. She shoved a few of the apples into her orange and blue gingham shoulder bag. As she stood to exit the Slumbering Weald, she could feel the vibrations from her Axew as he growled under his breath. Isabella glanced down and followed his gaze into the forest. She couldn’t see anything.</p><p>“What is it, Rami?”</p><p>Rami growled louder. The vibrations were making Isabella’s dragon fang necklace jingle against her collarbones. She observed the forest further. Nothing seemed suspicious further into the forest. The thick fog that was ever present seemed to coat the forest walls, floating along the tree branches hanging low. </p><p>“BOO!”</p><p>Isabella jumped, grasping Rami even closer. She twirled with haste. Ruckus laughter exploded as she met the blue eyes of her boyfriend, Trevor. Rami erupted in anger and squirmed in Isabella’s arms, fighting to break free to charge at Trevor. Isabella held on to Rami, and was very much irritated from her boyfriend’s actions. </p><p>“Trevor, why would you do that?!” she huffed, bouncing Rami a bit to try and relax him. Rami began rumbling in her arms, glancing between her and Trevor. Trevor wiped tears from his eyes, straightening his long torso. He stood about a foot and a half taller than her, almost towering at a six and a half feet tall. </p><p>“I can’t help it! You’re always so focused. It’s so easy to scare you!” he said, pretending to scare her more by crouching down and reaching at her. Isabella flinched back a bit, instinctively pulling Rami out of reach. “I’ve got to teach you a lesson. If I don’t, who will?”</p><p>Isabella sighed under her breath as Rami growled, fidgeting in her arms. She could sense his unease. Rami had never liked Trevor. Trevor was, for sure, an acquired taste. He took a lot of getting used to. It took them years to start dating, and the trust has come and gone so many times. It was Isabella’s first relationship and she has done her best to give it everything she has. </p><p>She looked up from Rami’s ruby eyes and met Trevor’s gaze. He gave her a genuine smile, and she returned it. He meant well, most of the time. He came to visit once or twice a month, but his work with the chairman kept him busy. When Isabella’s father died, her mother decided to move to Galar to live a quieter life. She met Trevor when he was visiting on Wedgehurst on outreach for the League. Rami ran into him when chasing her friend’s Wooloo. They clicked and he started visiting her regularly. </p><p>That was about two years ago. </p><p>“Why are you here, Trevor? You said you weren’t coming,” she stated as she began to walk out of the Slumbering Weald and back toward Postwick. Trevor jogged up to her left side and kept her pace. His bark-colored hiking boots stamped heavy in the dirt beside her as they left the area. </p><p>“Well, your little friend wouldn’t stop bothering me. He sent me so many messages saying how important this weekend was,” he relented. Isabella could hear the tone in his voice. He was hiding something, but was it a good or bad secret? “We were going to work some overtime but I came out here instead. Hopefully, you’ll make it worth my while.”</p><p>Isabella nodded in acknowledgement as they approached the edge of the forest. The sun’s gentle rays eased them out into the soothing sunset air. Summer was beginning to end and, with it, a new gym challenge would be starting. Trevor would become busier than ever and Hop would be starting his long awaited journey. Isabella sighed. Trevor shot her a glance. </p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>There was a pause as she ruminated carefully on her wording. “Everyone is going to be busy soon. Hop will be leaving. I won’t see you as much. There won’t be much for me here besides my mom. I wonder if it’s time for me to move on, as well.”</p><p>Trevor stared at her for a moment, eyes not breaking contact but showing no emotion. Isabella could see his gears turning. She desperately tried to read anything and everything she could from it, but she got nothing from his look. It filled her heart with fear with every second of silence that went by. She felt paranoid, almost as if she was being watched. Observed. Studied. </p><p>Almost as if she were being inspected for something. </p><p>“Maybe you need to test what you need to do with yourself, y’know?” came Trevor’s final response after what seemed like hours of silence. Isabella didn’t say anything at first. She turned her head away from him and looked to the ground in front of her feet. Trevor’s gaze was beating into the side of her skull. “I mean. All you do is sit here and what..? Play around with Rami and Ruby? Study your friend’s Pokemon? Volunteer down at Magnolias? I mean. Do they even pay you for that?”</p><p>“It’s experience,” came her defensive retort. </p><p>Trevor scoffed. “Experience for what, though? Do you have a plan?”</p><p>She had no response. “I suppose not… Not yet, at least. I’ve got time, though.” Rami gave an encouraging chirp, doing his best to look up at her and reassure her. She could feel his positive energy.</p><p>Trevor placed a hand on her left shoulder. It felt gentle, but cold. “Babe. You’ve got passion, but it’s everywhere. You need to focus it on something that’s going to bring in the money. Diddling around with Pokemon because it’s fun won’t do anything. You need to work a good job so you can afford to give Rami a good life. Sitting at home playing fetch with him for eight hours a day and scrounging up apples in the creepy forest behind your mom’s house when you’re forty is pathetic.”</p><p>Isabella shut her eyes, then snapped her shoulder away from Trevor. He pulled his hand away and brought it back to his side, unfazed by her reaction. “I’m not forty, Trevor…”</p><p>He said nothing as his eyes darted between her green hues. </p><p>“I’m going to go grab us some drinks for your birthday. Good wine, alright? The kind you can afford when you make the big bucks on a League salary. I’ll see you tonight.” He gave her a firm squeeze on her arm and then walked away, down the road and towards Wedgehurst. Isabella stood, almost frozen in place, at the entrance to the Slumbering Weald. She wasn’t quite sure what to say or what to do. Rami was trying to meet her eyes but she kept staring at the back of Trevor’s head as he walked away. Rami made a scratchy “Ax!” call as he attempted to snap her out of her state. Isabella turned down to him. His eyes were tight and worried. </p><p>“I’m alright, buddy,” she said with a softened gaze. She gave Rami a gentle squeeze, which he reciprocated within microseconds, before she placed him on the ground. As he stood a tall two feet, she handed him a fancy apple to munch on as they walked back into town. Isabella began biting the inner corners of her mouth. She enjoyed her life here in Postwick. She loved being able to help Hop study for the League challenge and assist Magnolia and Sonia when they needed help. She loved studying Rami and she loved dragons. She knew that she wanted to use that as a basis for her future. But she didn’t know where to go from there. </p><p>As she got closer into town, she slowed down and stopped near the outskirts of her mother’s farm. She looked at her house. In the sunset light, it looked so peaceful. Isabella sighed. She didn’t want to go home feeling like this. She glanced down at Rami. He was devouring his apple. Once he realized Isabella had stopped walking, he turned on his heel to find her. He met her emerald eyes and paused all activity. He let his apple drop down to his waist and she had his full attention. </p><p>“Aaxh?”</p><p>“Hey buddy, t’meres,” she whispered, kneeling down. He waddled over as fast as his tiny legs could carry him and he nuzzled her open palms. “Head on inside. I’m going to take a little walk, okay?” Rami tilted his head to a slight angle, but his eyes softened at her warm gaze. He gave a little nod and then walked toward the front door of the house. Isabella stood there for a few moments to make sure Rami made it inside. He stopped for a moment to greet her mom’s Budew at the door. They spoke for a brief moment before he made his way through the small door flap on the bottom. Isabella smiled before turning on her heel and heading up the hill through the woods. She wanted a moment away from everyone. There was a spot only her and Hop knew about away from the trails and the eyes of those around. She knew Trevor didn’t know about it and she didn’t want him scaring her again. She took the normal hiking trail through the woods through the normal scenic route. As she kept walking the trail, she found the part of the trail with the sign containing the two informational Pancham. This was their marker to veer off the beaten path. She stepped over the chain and walked into the woods. She could still see the markings Hop left when they first found this path. Isabella mused at that first excursion. They became friends when they found this path. </p><p>Not but a few more twists and turns later, she found her vista. It was a beautiful overlook of the ocean. Isabella stopped, taking in all the various hues of blue, pink, tangerine, yellow, and navy. She let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding in and approached the ledge. She sat down near the closest tree, adjusted the slight rip in her jeans, and pulled her jacket taut over her chest.  </p><p>She sat there for what seemed like hours, watching the colors fade in and out, and the clouds pass by. Before she knew it, the stars were beginning to shine through those pastels in the sky. She let out a soft breath. She wasn’t any closer to feeling comfortable with a decision, and it was beginning to feel like she might not ever reach one. </p><p>“Fancy meeting you out here.”</p><p>Isabella looked up to her right. </p><p>“Leon?”</p><p>Hop’s older brother gave her his friendly warm smile she had become accustomed to over the years. She attempted to stand but before she could even start to rise, he reached down to help her up. She took his hand and pulled herself to her feet. His hands had a miraculous warmth despite the summer air. It was a strange feeling. </p><p>“What are you doing here? How did you even know about this place?” she asked. Leon gave a gentle chuckle. </p><p>“I actually ran into Hop. He was on his way up here to find you and he thought it might be funny if I came and got you instead,” he laughed. She smiled, chuckling a little. </p><p>“I’m sure he does. I’m surprised he knew I was up here in the first place,” she mused. Leon tilted his head, and offered her a knowing smile. </p><p>“You two have been friends for what.. Ten years? He knows you inside and out at this point.”</p><p>Isabella grinned and laughed, a slight pink blush falling on her cheeks. “Yeah, maybe.” She looked up at Leon. His citrine eyes were looking straight into hers. She had forgotten how warm they were. It had been awhile since he had come back to visit them. </p><p>“Why are you home, Leon? Aren’t you busy getting ready for the new gym challenge?”</p><p>He smiled. “Well, I have to be here for Hop. He’s going to leave for the challenge reveal ceremony on Monday. I want to be here to help get him ready!” As he spoke, Isabella could see the fire in Leon’s eyes. She knew how much family meant to the Dandel’s. They always had her and her mom over for dinners and events. Hop and Leon’s grandfather particularly was incredibly sweet to her. He loves helping her create new curry recipes to cater to Pokemon's specific needs. </p><p>“Besides,” Leon continued. He cleared his voice. He met her gaze once more, his familiar friendly smile softening, “it’s not just his weekend. It’s an important one for you, too.”</p><p>Isabella felt her heart quicken, and then drop. She wanted to be happy that he was thinking of her, but Trevor’s words were sticking too hard. Leon could feel it. He could immediately sense her hesitance. “What is it, Izzy?”</p><p>She gave him a broken smile. “Is it.. Is it really a big weekend for me, though? I mean.” She stopped speaking. She looked to her hands and began to fidget with them, picking and scratching at the skin around her thumbs. It was a nervous tick for her. She had done it many times before and sometimes to the point of bleeding. Isabella attempted to walk away from Leon but he put a hand around her arm to prevent her from walking away. She sighed. </p><p>“I don’t have a plan like him, Lee,” came her distraught conclusion. “He knows what he wants. He wants to beat the unbeatable champion. He’s competitive. He likes the challenge. He wants to push.” Isabella began to bleed on her right thumb. She flinched for a moment at the sharp pain from picking at the skin but continued to peel at it. Leon noticed what she was doing and immediately smacked her hands. She jumped from his reaction, and caught his disapproving gaze with wide eyes. </p><p>“Don’t do that,” he scolded. “You’re going to hurt yourself.” He grabbed her hand with a tender grasp, and looked at her bloodied thumb. He applied soft pressure to the wound in attempt to stop the bleeding. She watched as he stared at her hand with a tender look. The sound of the ocean waves cascading against the cliff side beneath them was a soothing and welcome distraction. </p><p>“I don’t know, Leon,” she finally sighed. “I just feel like maybe I should have more planned out.” He glanced at her before checking her thumb to see if the bleeding had stopped. </p><p>“Hop has been planning for this since before I knew him. All I know is that I love Pokemon and I want to help them. I want to study them. Raise them. That’s all I know.” Leon pulled out a bandage from his bag and wrapped it around her thumb. </p><p>“Hold this?” he coaxed. She placed her left hand around the bandage as he continued to wrap it softly. He smiled gently to himself. Her skin was soft against his, and yet shockingly sharp. The adhesive of the bandage stuck to itself and he ripped the extra off and placed it back in his pack. He grabbed her hand once more to make sure it was firmly attached. He softly pressed on the bandage around her thumb, lingering a little longer than necessary. </p><p>Leon lifted his head to look her in the eye. He noticed she was already looking up at him. He could see the conflict in her eyes and the desire for answers. </p><p>“Maybe that’s all that you need to know..?” he wondered. “Who said you need to have all the answers right now? Maybe Hop is the one who is in the wrong for having everything planned out,” Leon said with a half-hearted chuckle. Isabella laughed, feeling less tense. Leon could see she needed to relieve the stress. </p><p>“Why are you so worked up about this? Hop told me you were so excited for this party tomorrow, and now you’re having this… existential crisis,” Leon challenged. He let go of her hands, giving her a tap on her shoulder with his gloved hand and ushered for her to walk with him up the ridge line. She followed him on his right. </p><p>Isabella sighed. “Trevor showed up. I guess Hop insisted he come. I thought he would be too busy with the League prep,” she mumbled. Leon maintained a blank look on his face, but listened with intense stillness. “I invited him but he said he wouldn’t be able to make it. Then he shows up out of nowhere. And he got into this big conversation about how I need to figure out what I’m doing and how I’m going to get a career and make money. And… I don’t know. Maybe he’s right.” Isabella looked to her feet, shoving her hands downtrodden into her jeans pockets. Leon scoffed as they walked. Isabella glanced his way. </p><p>“First of all,” he stated, “Trevor’s never right.” Isabella smiled at him. Leon caught her expression and smiled a bit himself. “Second of all, if you’re focused on money, you’ll never be happy. So if helping Pokemon is what you enjoy, then explore that. You’re young and you have all the time in the world.”</p><p>As they walked across the ridgeline, Isabella sighed. “I think that’s what I want. But I just don’t know what to do with it… Hop is leaving and I won’t have him with me every day,” came her distraught sigh. Isabella’s eyes met Leon’s once more. “He’s my best friend, and he makes things as stupid as getting a burger so much fun. I don’t know how I’m going to function without him here.” </p><p>Leon smiled. Watching Hop flourish with Isabella was a relieving feeling. Hop could be abrasive with new friends and it often drove them away from him. Isabella saw this trait in him as one of the best things about him, and it’s why he mellowed out and became a well-rounded individual.</p><p>“For what it’s worth, I think Hop might be feeling the same way, Iz,” Leon said. “Maybe you should talk to him about all of this.”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know,” she replied. “He’s got a lot on his mind right now with starting his journey and I don’t want to stress him out anymore.”</p><p>“As if Hop can’t handle it?” Leon scoffed with a smile. “Come on, I’ve been kicking his ass up and down these streets before I became Champion. If he can’t handle a deep conversation with you while getting ready to do something like this, then I’ll go right back to kicking his ass.” </p><p>Isabella laughed at Leon, shaking her head with a grin. “Alright… Maybe I’ll talk with him about it. But only if you promise to let me watch when he needs to be put in his place next time.”</p><p>Leon chuckled at her, holding out a hand. “Deal.” Isabella giggled, shaking his hand firmly before heaving a deep sigh. </p><p>“I suppose we should get back. I promised my mom I would help her bake some of the treats she planned on making for the party. She’ll be more angry at you than me if I’m late getting home.” Leon nodded with a smirk. </p><p>“Your mom isn’t exactly pleasant when she’s mad,” he jested. Leon caught her eyes and gave her that warm, friendly gaze she was so familiar with. </p><p>“Let me walk you back, alright?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Birthday / Bon Voyage Celebration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“... and that’s why it’s going to be the best,” Hop exclaimed. He kicked his feet in the air, slamming his back into the ground once more. Isabella laughed, lying her head down next to his on his rug. She loved spending time with him, especially considering his mom let them have privacy in his room. She turned her head to face him and he did the same. His amber eyes met her emerald orbs, and they grinned in glee. “Izzy, you should come with me.”</p><p>Her eyebrows rose in shock and she took her head back a few centimeters. “Come with you..? On your challenge?” Hop nodded with vigor. “Oh, Hop, I don’t know…”</p><p>Hop rolled onto his side and placed his hand on her arm, pulling her to hers. They were centimeters from each other. “Come on, it’ll be so much fun! We could go to new places, see new Pokemon, meet new people, try new food..!”</p><p>He was grinning from ear to ear. She could see the sincerity in his eyes. “You’re my best friend. I don’t want to do this alone. I want you there,” he insisted. “Not just me either! Right, Wooloo?”</p><p>As he said that, he turned his head upright to catch his partner’s eyes. Wooloo gave a triumphant “baa!” sound in response. Isabella smiled. </p><p>“I don’t know, Hop,” she mumbled. “I mean. I’m not doing the challenge. I don’t train my Pokemon. And what if I end up just getting in the way?”</p><p>Hop heaved an irritated sigh and pulled himself upright. “Izzy, when have you ever gotten in my way where I haven’t just pushed you aside?” She laughed, sitting up with him. </p><p>“I mean. You’re right.”</p><p>He smiled at her in a genuine manner. Her Growlithe, Ruby, gave a soft bark as she pawed at Wooloo before walking over to Isabella and crawling into her lap. Isabella began to pet through her rough fur and massage Ruby's back. Ruby let out what appeared to be an attempt at a purr but wound up being more of a burp. Hop chuckled and then said, “I don’t like being alone. And I’m sure I’d make new friends doing the gym challenge but.. I don’t know. I think it would be good for us. Postwick is great but we’re meant for something bigger than this place.” He looked around his room, glancing at the posters on the walls. </p><p>“This was never going to be it for me,” he laughed. With determined eyes, he met hers once more. “And you’re way too smart to be cooped up in this small town. You deserve the adventure and getting to use all the skills you've learned.” Isabella grinned and looked down, avoiding his eyes. She could feel the heat on her cheeks. </p><p>“Hop, stop. You’re being sweet and it’s weird,” she laughed. He laughed harshly and pushed her onto the ground. Isabella began laughing and attempting to fight him off. They began rolling around on the ground as Wooloo began to cry out and Ruby began barking. Their ruckus erupted into a playful war back and forth. Ruby and Wooloo began to chase each other around the room, excited by the play fighting. From the other room, Rami came running in, holding an apple in his hands. Hop overpowered Isabella with a grunt and pinned her to the ground. He let out a triumphant laugh and she attempted to throw him off, giggling up a storm. Rami furrowed his brow and stomped one foot on the ground. He threw the apple at Hop’s head, crying out with an agitated, “Aahx!”</p><p>“Hey!” Hop yelled out with a pained grimace, rubbing his head as the apple fell to the ground with a soft thud. Rami let out a gruff breath and stomped his foot at Hop again. This time, he leaned forward as if showcasing his bravado.  </p><p>“Aax!”</p><p>Hop glared at Rami. “What?! I didn’t even do anything!”</p><p>Faint footsteps sounded on the stairs as Rami stomped into the room. Hop’s mom, Eleanora, turned the corner. She looked down to see Hop pinning Isabella against the carpet. She chuckled. </p><p>“Hop, that is certainly no way to treat a lady,” she scolded. Hop flushed, throwing himself off of his friend and onto the ground behind him. Rami let out a proud, “Axew Ax!” Eleanora smiled. </p><p>"And of course, we have our mighty warrior to thank for saving the damsel, don't we?" she reassured Rami. He turned around and grinned. </p><p>"Axew!" Eleanora chuckled before meeting Izzy's upside down glance. </p><p>“Come now, Isabella. Why don’t you help me finish up the cooking? My boys can hang the rest of the decorations for the party. Your mom should be bringing over the rest later today,” she tittered. Isabella beamed and leaned upright. </p><p>“Sure thing, mum,” she cooed. Isabella met Hop’s embarrassed eyes. “I’ll think about what you said, alright?” </p><p>Hop nodded with a small smile. She could read the emotion behind that smile. She could tell that it was on his mind for awhile. At least cooking with his mom would help her think through things. </p><p>*~*</p><p>About two to three hours later, the cooking was almost finished. Isabella had a wonderful time cooking with Hop and Leon’s mom. She spent a lot of time with them. Her and her mother both spent a lot of time with the Dandel’s. They welcomed them immediately when they moved in. They brought them homemade curry on their first night in their house and helped them move their furniture and boxes in. Well, what little they had. Hop’s grandfather built Isabella’s bed. All she had was Ruby and her necklace from her father before he died. It was rough for her to leave everything behind but it was harder for them to stay after everything. </p><p>Isabella looked up from the curry she was stirring and out the kitchen window. Leon and Hop were hanging lanterns along the branches. Some of the professors assistants were here helping out, bringing side dishes. A bunch of the other residents from up the road were here, too. She loved being with them all. It was unlike the hospitality she had from Johto. </p><p>Leon jumped down off the bench he was standing on and put Hop immediately into a headlock. They immediately began wrestling around, which amused those around. Leon began laughing as Hop thrashed about, trying to wiggle out of his grip. Hop then, with ease, shoved his shoulder in front of Leon and grabbed his knee and pulled it forward, taking them both to the ground. Leon and Hop let go of each other, exploding with laughter. Leon's friend from the League, Chris, walked over and offered a hand to get them up. Isabella shook her head at the display. They were always roughhousing when they had a chance. Hop looked at his big brother and shook his head with a smile, waving a dismissive hand at him before walking over to his Wooloo. He bent down to him, giving him a soft pat before putting a tiny blue party hat on him. Wooloo cheered and began running around the party area, seeming to find anyone else to play with him. Leon beamed at his younger brother before scanning the area. His eyes fell on the kitchen window and he caught Isabella’s eyes. </p><p>She jumped, alarmed that he could see her through the window with the sun beginning to set. He offered her a small wave to which she reciprocated. He grinned from ear to ear at her and beckoned for her to join him outside. She grinned but shook her head and pointed down to the large pot of curry. He drooped his shoulders down in an exaggerated fashion. Leon then waved his hands dismissively about the curry and beckoned as extravagantly as he could for her to come outside. People were glancing at him. Isabella laughed without the intention of catching Eleanora’s notice. Leon seemed to be making a fool out of himself. Isabella exaggerated her head shake even more so at Leon, still giggling at the interaction. Eleanora glanced between the two. Leon folded his arms across his chest and dropped his head, frowning and doing his best to look as sad as he could. Isabella rolled her eyes at him with a grin, shook her head, and continued to stir the curry. Eleanora gave a knowing smile and approached Isabella. She placed a hand on the large wooden spoon in her hand, startling the young woman. </p><p>“Why don’t you go get dressed?” she insisted. “This is almost ready. And it looks like someone wants you out and about.” Eleanora nudged her head in Leon’s direction. Isabella looked back over to the purple-haired man now helping his grandfather over to a seat out of the sun’s direct light. Isabella looked back to Eleanora. </p><p>“Oh, he’s just being a pain. I can finish up here,” Isabella insisted. Eleanora shook her head and then began to scoot her out of the way. </p><p>“Ah, ah, ah. How often do we really get to see him?” Isabella nodded in agreement. Eleanora smiled. “Go put on that really pretty sparkly silver eye shadow your mom got you this Spring and the white dress we made. The one with the boning. I want to take lots of pictures of everyone together,” she beamed. Isabella smiled. She loved that dress. “It’s up in my closet. Go grab it and head over to your moms. She’ll want to walk over with you, I’m sure.</p><p>*~*</p><p>As Isabella put the last loose wave in her hair, she let out a shaky breath. She had been contemplating for some time about making big changes once she became an adult. Her mom always made a big deal about big life changes when you become an adult: being able to drink, being able to buy certain adult things… being of age to make that one big decision. She had never wanted to do it before. Trevor hadn’t brought it up much. They had gotten close a few times but she got scared to take the plunge with him. Having sex for the first time was a big thing. A person only gets to do it for the first time one time. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. </p><p>Isabella walked over to her full length mirror and looked over her body. The dress fit very well. It hugged all her curves and fell right above her knees. It was a plain a-line white dress. It had a sheer floral pattern hovering over it with cap sleeves. Her ruby red hair fell in loose curls down to right below her collarbones. Isabella smoothed out the fabric on her waist and sighed. Maybe she was ready for this. Trevor was a decent enough guy. He cared enough to come out for her birthday, after all. He cared enough to push her to think about her future, right? He mentioned that he had something special planned for them in Wedgehurst after the party. Maybe that’s when it’ll happen. </p><p>She walked back over to her vanity and put in her ruby earrings. With another shaky sigh, she put on clear lip balm and slipped on some glossy red flats before walking into the living room. Her mother stood by the door with her small dolly. On the dolly sat the small crate of lemon bars she prepared for the party. As she looked up from the dolly, her eyes lit up. “Darling, you look wonderful. Eleanora did a wonderful job on that dress. It’s perfect for you.” She hobbled over as quick as she could and enveloped her daughter in an embrace. Isabella held her mother close and gave a bright smile. </p><p>“Thanks, mama. Come on, let’s get over so you can sit. You’ve been on your feet all day.” Her mother took a step back. She gave a slight disapproving look. </p><p>“I’ll be fine,” she scolded. “I’ve taken my medicine. I’m having a good day, today.” Isabella squinted her eyes but didn’t argue further. She wrapped her arm with her mothers and they walked together out the door with the small dolly. </p><p>As they walked up the road, they could hear the party had begun already. The music was booming into the warm sunset air. The orange and blue hues were filtering through and it was almost as if the music was painting the sky itself. Isabella couldn’t help but smile. She could feel how happy everyone was and she wasn’t even there yet. As they got closer, Isabella could see Hop near the entrance to the property. He was wearing his nice button down shirt and a pair of clean khakis. This was rare for him. Isabella chuckled. Eleanora must’ve made him clean up for the pictures. </p><p>“Hey nerd!” she called out. Hop turned instinctively. His brow furrowed at her and he jogged over. </p><p>“You’re one to talk!” he argued. “I’m willing to bet you told my mom to make me wear this stuff.” Isabella laughed. </p><p>“No, she wants nice pictures,” she laughed. “Come on, when’s the next time she’s going to have both her boys together?” Hop sighed but nodded. </p><p>“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”</p><p>Lisbeth smacked Hop’s arm. “Hop, are you just gonna stand there or are you going to help the lady here take these lemon bars to the table?” Hop chuckled, albeit a little embarrassed. </p><p>“You’re right, ma’am,” he apologized. Hop reached over and grabbed the handles for the dolly, stuck his tongue out at Isabella, and then began walking with Lisbeth into the party towards the tables with the food. Isabella tried to stop him to ask where Trevor was but Hop was too quick to walk away. She bit the inner corner of her mouth and then began walking into the area. The music was blaring on the speakers and people were taking lots of pictures on their Rotom phones. It was a beautiful soft light due to the sunset and lanterns hung earlier. Isabella couldn't believe how beautiful it was. She smiled as she walked through all the people, exchanging brief greetings. She kept scanning the area but she couldn’t find Trevor anywhere. He wouldn’t know too many people here. He didn’t talk to too many people in her town. He would only know Leon and Hop, and her mom. Isabella walked to the back of the area to get a clear look into the mass of people. She recognized almost everyone but couldn’t see Trevor anywhere. She sighed and turned to the drinks table. She figured she might as well grab some mago punch. </p><p>Leon was behind the house with his friend, Chris. Chris and Leon met early on in his League career. He was his closest friend, his bodyguard, his go-to guy, and his connection with the world when he needs to be in meetings or other events. Leon often compared him to a secret agent. He always seemed to be nearby when he needed him but never overbearing. </p><p>"So, you think your brother is going to make it through the challenge?" he asked Leon, popping another chip into his mouth. Leon nodded. </p><p>"Yeah, man," he agreed. "Hop's is ridiculously competitive, and he's like me, y'know. He's got this need to be the best. He'll do great."</p><p>Chris nodded. "Hopefully he won't be as thick headed as you," he joked, giving Leon a light jab in the arm. Leon smirked at him. </p><p>"Y'know, you give me a lot of crap for no reason," he said. "Maybe one day, I won't take it anymore."</p><p>Chris let out a loud laugh. "Yeah, right! Like that'll ever happen. You have too much patience." Leon rolled his eyes with a smile and looked away from his friend. </p><p>Across the party, he saw her. Standing across by the punch table, Isabella was pouring herself a glass. How a simple white dress could look so perfect was beyond Leon. It was a different feeling. She was his little brother’s best friend. He watched her laugh so hard she peed. He watched her get so angry she shoved Hop into a refrigerator box and sit on it. Hell, he and her had gotten into wrestling matches before over the last slice of pizza. Nothing should be different. He’s seen her in dresses. He’s seen her dolled up. He’s always thought of her as family. </p><p>She turned from the table, and he saw the delicate curves of her face. His lips separated. It was as if the world surrounding her blurred from vision and sound deafened. She was glancing around the party, meeting eyes with people and smiling. She was with all those she loved and he could see that she was feeling the moment. She looked so in-tune with the world and it was as if, for the first time, she was more than the girl that hung out with his little brother. </p><p>Isabella turned and caught his gaze. She held it for a moment before a small smile formed on her face. It was a gentle and genuine look. It was a look he had not seen before. Her eyes were holding an emotion he didn’t recognize. Was it a question? Or an answer? </p><p>He felt a rough nudge on his right arm that caused him to blink very harsh that brought him back to his senses. He glanced over to see Chris looking at him with an expectant look, shooting a glance between Leon and Isabella. Leon looked back to Isabella, and she raised an eyebrow at him. He gave her an awkward smile and gave her a soft wave. </p><p>“Uh, what the hell was that?” Chris laughed in a raspy tone, smacking Leon rough on the arm. Leon shoved Chris, furrowing his brow at him. </p><p>“Oh, shove off, dude,” Leon snarled. “I just like… I don’t know. I zoned out...”</p><p>Chris laughed, popping a chip into his mouth. “Sure,” he snorted, gesturing to him with a cup in his hand. The liquid splashed from the side of the cup to the ground. “Too bad, though. Trevor’s got his claws in that, already. And good luck with that guy.” Leon said nothing in response. He simply looked down at Chris and nodded, shooting a glance back at Izzy. She seemed to be looking absentmindedly at her thumb. Leon sighed for a moment and Chris tapped him on his back. </p><p>“I'm going to go mingle," he said. "Ring me if you need me." Leon nodded as Chris jutted off into the crowd with a loud cheer. The people around him cheered back as he folded into the crowd, bumping from side to side to the music. Leon laughed. Chris knew how to liven up a party by simply existing. Leon looked back over to Isabella to see her glancing around the crowd. She seemed to be looking for something or someone, but he wasn't sure what. Perhaps this would be the best time to give her the gift he worked on. He set his drink down and walked over to her, pulling his shirt taut and fixing his hair. </p><p>“Hey, birthday girl,” he joked with a smile. Isabella tilted her head to his, and her eyes lit up. “Can we walk for a sec?”</p><p>She smiled. “Yeah, of course.”</p><p>Leon led her around the corner of the house, hoping that there would be no one on the side where there wasn't anything set up for the party. Unfortunately, there were some people gathered there. They were probably doing the same as him, and looking for somewhere a little quieter to talk. He sighed in exasperation. He glanced around the area, desperately searching for a quiet area. He met Isabella’s eyes. “I know a spot.”</p><p>He took her by the hand and led her behind the tree behind his childhood home and then into the small woods. After weaving around a few trees, the music from the party dimmed to a hum. She could barely see any of the people from the party through the trees. She found herself surprised to see a small stone bench in the clearing. Isabella looked at the surrounding area. “What is this?”</p><p>He smiled. “Mum likes the quiet. Granddad gets on her case sometimes. She comes out here when he’s driving her nuts.” Isabella laughed. Leon led her to the bench and sat down, tugging her to sit next to him. </p><p>“What is it, Leon?” she asked. “Is everything okay?”</p><p>He nodded. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to give you your gift.” He took a second to look at her, reading her face. She was looking directly at him, a small smile on her lips. He felt at ease and uneasy at the same time. Isabella smiled further. Leon looked different today. She knew Eleanora would make her boys dress up but, even when dressed up, Leon was still wearing his hat. He was wearing nice dark wash jeans and a button down shirt like Hop. His was a long sleeve but, of course, he rolled up his sleeves. Isabella snickered. He probably did it just to spite Eleanora. He loved skirting the boundaries of irritating her. Yet, even put together as he was, he still seemed so chaotically calm. </p><p>Out of his pocket, he pulled out a soft padded box a little longer than the palm of his hand. He held it for a moment, debating on handing it over. He began to over analyze if it was overthought, if it meant too much, if she would read into it, if he read into it, or what might go wrong. He shook his head and handed it to her. </p><p>She glanced at him before taking the box. Isabella opened the box with grace to reveal a rose gold bracelet with three dragon pendants, each holding a ruby. Her eyes widened looking at the bracelet as she took in a large gasp. Leon froze for a moment. His heart began to race. </p><p>“I know how much you love dragons. And your birthstone is a ruby. And you love rubies. And.. you know, Ruby. And I know she was your dad’s Arcanine’s puppy. So…” Leon began to mumble. “I just wanted you to have something that. Y’know.. You could take with you.” He glanced a few times up from the bracelet to her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction to it. He could tell she was feeling overwhelmed by it, but it was a good overwhelming feeling, and it made him smile.</p><p>“I talked to your mom about it. So, she actually gave me this idea but…” Leon reached over and pulled the bracelet from the box. He flipped it over to reveal a plate behind the middle dragon that revealed the name Alberto. Isabella covered her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. Leon immediately noticed and pulled back his hand a bit. “I’m sorry! I didn’t want to upset you. I just--”</p><p>“No, no it’s fine,” Isabella interrupted. “No, it’s perfect.” Her voice cracked. She tried to sniffle without him hearing, but failed. She tapped the corners of her eyes to wipe the tears without smearing her makeup. She chuckled with embarrassment. </p><p>“I’m sorry. I’m trying not to cry.” Leon smiled and placed a sympathetic hand on her arm. She looked up to him with a wide smile. “How did you just.. Remember all these things about me?”</p><p>Leon stared towards the bracelet, rubbing the ruby against his thumb. Memories flooded him of the movie nights he would spend every other weekend with Hop and Isabella when he would come home, weekend trips to Axew’s Eye, camping, and all of the video chats. He remembered how lonely he was at the League whenever they would go home or when he would have to leave. He fondly remembered all the pictures they would send him. It pained him to remember how he missed a lot of it by being away by the championship duties. </p><p>“I remember everything about you and Hop. You guys mean everything to me,” he soothed. There was a gentle but pained look in his eyes. He took the soft box and set it aside on the stone bench. He pulled her dainty wrist towards his abdomen and wrapped the bracelet around her right wrist and fastened it so it wouldn’t fall off. He readjusted the bracelet so it was facing the correct way. He placed her hand in her lap and held it there. She was looking down at her hands, admiring the bracelet. He took one of his hands and lifted her chin. She met his eyes. She met that warm, friendly face. And yet, somehow, it felt different this time. Everything looked a little different. His eyes, nose, lips, chin. She looked everywhere, and then met his eyes again. Leon’s lips parted only slightly. He paused for a moment. She held his eyes and felt frozen in time. Her heart felt anxious. She wasn’t sure why. </p><p>“Hop told me he asked you to join him on his gym challenge,” Leon abruptly stated. Isabella stared into his citrine eyes, wondering if that was his original thought or if he was going to say something else. Leon paused, looking back at her. He blinked a few times before leaning a little away from her. “I think you should go with him.”</p><p>Isabella tilted her head, pulling her hands into her lap. “...I don’t know...” she sighed. “I think Trevor got into my head a bit,” she confessed. Leon gave a knowing nod. He had suspected as much. Isabella glanced to her side, looking conflicted. Leon lowered his hand from her chin and placed his hands onto hers. She looked down at them, enjoying the warmth more than she had anticipated. The only thought on her mind was that Trevor’s hands never felt this warm. She unknowingly tilted her head at the thought, not knowing why that would even cross her mind. </p><p>“I don’t have a plan. Not like my parents did. Not like you or Hop. I don’t have anything marketable right now. Nothing concrete. Nothing to show for it. And.. I feel lost… Like I did when my dad died.” Isabella glanced up to Leon and met his amber eyes. They filled with an understanding she never got anywhere before. “I don’t know what to do, Lee,” she admitted. Leon gave a soft pause before giving her a half smile and a gentle squeeze on her hands. </p><p>“At least go with Hop to the reveal for the gym challenges,” he said. “I think getting a taste for the adventure and for what might be out there will help you get some much needed perspective.” Leon gave a soft sigh and stood, pulling her gently to her feet and released her hands. </p><p>“Come on, you have a lot of guests to greet and we have a party to attend.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Tension</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Isabella and Leon returned to the party unnoticed. They both began to mingle with the guests, dancing with everyone, eating the food, and having the best time. Isabella spent a great deal of time with Hop, reminiscing about the times they've had in Postwick and exploring the surrounding areas. Within an hour of Isabella returning to the party with Leon, she was laughing, dancing, and running around with joy. Hop grabbed her around the waist and they began to twirl around the party to the energetic guitars on the speakers in the background. They charged through the crowd, hands pointed forward as they raced along the edges of the party. The excitement was high and the laughter was roaring. Isabella and Hop were cheek to cheek, grinning and laughing like maniacs. As they entered the dance tiles in the center of the party, Hop spun Isabella around in the circle and dipped her down. The crowds were cheering as Hop and Isabella laughed, standing upright and hugging. Eleanora stood on the side with Hop's grandfather, Michael. He grinned and stood from the bench, walking over with his cane. He gave Isabella a soft pat on the back.</p>
<p>"It's my turn now, right?"</p>
<p>As the evening went on, people began dancing with each other and sharing stories of the two young ones as they've grown. As the sun began to set completely, the deep orange hue fell across the party, leaving a beautiful warm glow on all the party goers. Isabella was in the most affectionate and gregarious mood she had ever been in. Leon had been going from person to person getting recommendations about Hop and Isabella both on their character and rapport for his proper report to the League. He knew Hop would need it for his official induction into the challenge and he knew that it would be helpful for Isabella in whatever path she decided to take. He was getting the feedback he expected. Hop was confident and excitable. He was picking up work where he could and helping with no expectation of reward. He took up tasks on his own initiative, and was studying in his spare time.</p>
<p>Isabella was a similar case. She was more reserved, however. She was often found with the professor or helping out at the Pokemon Center in Wedgehurst. She loved trying to find new ways to help out the sick and injured, she loved researching, and she loved filing the reports she could. She was always opening up and closing down the research center there. When she wasn't there, she was helping out the local families both in Postwick and Wedgehurst. That's why the turnout was so large. Hop and Isabella both did everything they could to help. They were genuine and pure.</p>
<p>As the latest song came to a crescendo, Hop and Isabella came to a final spin on the dance floor with a loud laugh. They held each other close in a tight hug, giving a soft kiss on the cheek. She pulled away from him with a giant grin, and Leon smiled at the sight. He loved seeing them so happy together like that. Lisbeth approached and nudged Leon in the arm. He glanced down at her, smiling from ear to ear.</p>
<p>"It's nice to see them so happy, huh?" she said. Leon nodded, looking back to his little brother and his best friend. Lisbeth noticed the bracelet dangling from her daughter's wrist. "I take it she liked it?"</p>
<p>Leon grinned. "I did get some happy tears," he admitted, giving Lisbeth a nudge back. She gave a lighthearted chuckle. "We picked out a good one." Leon and Lisbeth shared a knowing gaze before looking back to Hop and Isabella on the dancefloor. Isabella let go of Hop with a grin. Her face fell for a moment as she looked over his shoulder. Hop turned on his heel to see what she had seen.</p>
<p>"Sorry I'm late!" A familiar black-haired man approached, bearing a bouquet of yellow tulips, approached. Isabella smiled and ran up to him, jumping onto him with a tight hug. Trevor reciprocated the hug with a soft, "hey there, hun." Leon's smile fell from his face, unbeknownst to him. Hop scratched the back of his head and glanced around the party, looking for someone else to hang out with as he knew that Isabella would be busy. He eventually saw Chris and jogged over to him. Lisbeth sighed softly.</p>
<p>"I know she hasn't decided yet but…" she began. Leon turned his head down to her. Her eyes were narrowed at Trevor and her daughter. Trevor was grasping Isabella's lower waist tightly. His hand was lowering slowly, but stopped when Isabella pushed it off when it got right above her panty line. Lisbeth blinked slow and harsh. "If she goes with Hop, please."</p>
<p>She looked up at Leon. Her eyes were desperate. "Please watch after her. Not her. Both of them."</p>
<p>Leon could see how serious she was. His brow knit together for a moment. He placed a hand on her shoulder and tilted his head inward, "I always have. You know that." Lisbeth nodded, and she let out a breath that sounded as if she had been holding it in for hours. Leon turned towards her. "What's wrong, Liz?"</p>
<p>Lisbeth held out a hand toward the closest chair to her and limped towards it. Leon guided her towards it and helped her sit down. She reached down and moved her leg to a more comfortable position and sat back. Leon took the chair across from her and sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and he leaned forward. Lisbeth sighed as quiet as she could.</p>
<p>"Your family is the reason we've been able to stay as level as we've been able to, Lee," she lamented. "After my husband died, Isabella was lost for awhile. She and her father were close," Lisbeth said. She glanced at her daughter. Isabella was looking at the tulips Trevor had brought her. She smiled at the flowers before giving Trevor a soft kiss.</p>
<p>"I thought coming here might have helped, and you guys made all the difference." Lisbeth smiled a little. "She opened up like I never thought she would. But lately, I'm worried… I think it would be good for her to finally do something for herself. She's been so focused on taking care of me since everything happened."</p>
<p>Leon listened with great care, nodding and making sure Lisbeth felt heard. He reached out and grabbed her hand. She met his eyes and smiled, and he returned it. "You know she wasn't ever going to let you do anything by yourself. That's just not in her blood," Leon joked. Lisbeth smiled, patting Leon's hand and leaning forward.</p>
<p>"Of course not," she laughed. "She's her father's daughter, afterall."</p>
<p>Leon showed her a brilliant, genuine smile, and Lisbeth felt at ease. "I will keep an eye on her if she goes."</p>
<p>Lisbeth nodded. "Please, see to it that she goes," she pleaded. "I think she needs the perspective. And maybe, she'll see that there's more to life than hanging around these two towns and waiting for that boyfriend of hers to hopefully show up…" Lisbeth glanced over her shoulder to see Trevor checking his phone as Isabella was talking to him. He nodded to her glancing up from his phone momentarily. Isabella's shoulders dropped for a moment. She turned her head and attempted to walk somewhere when Trevor put his phone away and reached out for her to get her attention. She stopped walking away and they began talking again.</p>
<p>Lisbeth sighed. "I don't think he's good for her but… I want her to be happy. And I think she needs to make that decision herself."</p>
<p>Leon nodded. He tapped Lisbeth's hand with a gentle pat. She turned back to him. "I'll talk to her tomorrow about going with Hop. I have a gift for both of them and I think it'll help convince them to go together. Just make sure she comes over in the afternoon, okay?"</p>
<p>Lisbeth nodded with a smile in her eyes. "You're one of the good ones. You know that?"</p>
<p>Leon laughed. "Of course I do. I'm undefeated for a reason!"</p>
<hr/>
<p>The hours seemed to fly by as the party began to wind down. The older guests began leaving first, followed shortly afterwards by the parents with the younger children. The music began to slow down. Eleanora began to clean up some of the emptier snacks and plates. Trevor had been talking with Lisbeth for awhile and Leon was teaching Rami some party tricks with his apples over in the corner of the yard. Isabella was standing near the edge of the stone fence with Hop, glancing back at Trevor. Hop looked towards his friend and back again at Trevor. He was leaning with his elbows on the edge casually and he let out a heavy sigh.</p>
<p>"Izzy, I really think you should just forget that guy and come with me on the gym challenge," he said in a hushed tone. She twisted towards him, taken aback. Hop's face was stern. She wasn't accustomed to it. "I mean. Come on, he bullies you, he shows up randomly, he doesn't know you that well…" Isabella scoffed. She shook her head and looked toward Trevor, folding her arms across her chest. Hop kicked off the fence and got in-between her eyes and Trevor, forcing her to look at him directly. Hop wasn't the tallest kid at 18 years old, but he had a few inches on Isabella. She glowered at him.</p>
<p>"He didn't even want to be here this weekend. I had to beg him to come out here," Hop rebuked. Isabella put her hands up, waving them in dismissal at Hop.</p>
<p>"Why is he even a part of this now?" she snapped. "He doesn't have a bearing on this decision. I'm the one who's confused, Hop."</p>
<p>"He's the one that got you confused in the first place," he snapped back. Isabella clenched a fist tight before groaning and releasing the tension. "I mean, would you have even gotten upset in the first place had he not shown up and been a dick about it?"</p>
<p>"You know, everyone has been on my case about going on this trip with you and now you're making it about him." Her volume was loud enough to stir a few of the people left. Eleanora, Leon, and Trevor all glanced over at her and Hop as they stood near the gate. Leon's eyes narrowed at their argument and then glanced toward Trevor. His face looked clouded and blank.</p>
<p>Isabella walked backwards toward the opening of the fence and gestured wide. "I just.. I need to make this decision on my own and I can't do that if everyone is trying to force me into doing it, especially if it's going to be like this."</p>
<p>With that, she turned on her heel and began walking towards Wedgehurst. Hop threw his arms to his sides in exasperation.</p>
<p>"Izzy, cahmon! That's deflection and you know it!" he shouted after her. "Izzy!" She didn't respond or look back at him, but raised her middle finger over her shoulder as she walked away. Hop groaned, throwing his head back in frustration before walking back towards the yard. Trevor was by Hop's side in seconds causing Hop to jolt backwards.</p>
<p>"The hell did you say to her?" he accused with a pointed hand, centimeters from Hop's face. Before Hop could respond to Trevor, like lightning, Leon's palm was colliding with Trevor's shoulder, forcing him away from Hop.</p>
<p>"Back off of him," Leon threatened. With that, it was as if a switch flipped. Trevor immediately turned to Leon, charged him, and threw his palms into Leon's shoulders. Eleanora shouted in surprise as Leon stumbled two steps back. He caught his balance quickly. Charizard immediately turned around, pupils pulled into tight pins.</p>
<p>"Don't touch me!" Trevor shouted, taking two more steps at Leon. There was a loud roar as Charizard took a few steps forward. A snarl formed on Leon's face. He pulled back his fist and dug his back heel into the ground, but restrained himself. Instead, Leon stood straight and tugged his shirt back to normal. He took a calm step forward, Charizard following suit. He did not break eye contact with Trevor as he got within centimeters of his eyes. Charizard leaned forward, nearly a foot right of Leon.</p>
<p>In a hushed tone, Leon sneered, "Get the fuck off my property before Charizard burns your sorry ass alive." Charizard began growling low, upper lip twitching. Smoke was fuming from his nostrils and the fiery, red glow was emanating from his throat. Trevor's glowering eyes glanced between Charizard and Leon's unwavering glares. Trevor held the gaze with the Champion. Leon's citrine orbs were firm and unblinking. Trevor's pupils were contracted thin, piercing at Leon.</p>
<p>Within a split second, Trevor took a step away. He turned on his heel without a word and followed after Isabella. Leon took a few cautious steps after him, standing tall. His eyes tracked Trevor for a few moments before he blinked harshly. He had never seen that kind of flip before. It was as if Trevor balanced the possible outcomes on a scale in a manner of seconds and took the most logical option. Leon shook his head and turned to his younger brother. Hop's eyes were blank and his jaw was agape. He immediately looked to Leon.</p>
<p>"Should we let him go after her?" he questioned. "He's insane! I mean. He was gonna fight you!"</p>
<p>Leon looked over his shoulder where Trevor was and then back to Hop with a deep sigh, "Don't worry. I'll take care of it." He gave Hop a pat on the shoulder. The warmth returning to his eyes transferred to his little brother. "Just help mum pack everything up." He looked around at the surrounding guests. He was thankful it was just family left. He felt a tiny tug on his pant leg and glanced down to see Rami at his feet. His ruby eyes looked glossy and frantic, and he was holding his small red party hand in his limp hand. Leon crouched down and put a hand on Rami's cheek. The damp scales left a cold wetness on Leon's palm. Rami let out a soft whimper, dropping his hat to the ground.</p>
<p>"Ax?"</p>
<p>"We'll go grab her," he soothed. Rami tilted his head and tapped Leon's knee many times with both of his tiny hands. He could tell that Rami was anxious, but he could feel the restraint as Rami rapped against his knee. He was holding back his emotions. "She'll be okay, I promise."</p>
<p>The subtle thumps from Charizard's steps shook Rami's attention, and he turned towards the larger beast. Charizard let out a breathy grunt and nodded to the younger dragon, as if a mentor to his pupil. Charizard lifted his arms and flexed them, showing bravado. Rami nodded, giving gentle acknowledgement and wiped the drying tears from his face. Leon stood and gave his partner Pokemon a firm pat on the shoulder. Charizard nodded before turning his full attention to Rami. Leon took a few steps towards the gate, noticing that Trevor had made it far away by now. He knew he couldn't force Isabella to do anything with how much pressure everyone had already put on her, but he knew he needed to give her an out.</p>
<p>"Hey, Rotom?"</p>
<p>His phone flew from his back pocket.</p>
<p>"Tell Isabella that if she needs me, I'll be at the lake by the Professor's house until late. And I'll have Rami so tell her not to worry about him."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Isabella sighed. The small inn in Wedgehurst is where Trevor wanted her to meet him, but he hadn't arrived yet. She took out her Rotom phone but hadn't messaged him yet. She didn't want to bother him. That was when Leon's text came through. She didn't mind when Leon spent time with Rami. Rami really like Charizard. She believed it was some kind of a strength or dragon typing complex he had even though Charizard was primarily fire and Rami didn't possess those capabilities. She let a small smirk show through. Rami loved Leon's Pokemon. He adored their strength and wanted to be like them. Often when Leon would shirk his Champion duties to come home to spend time with his little brother, Rami would forgo his usual spot in Isabella's lap to cuddle in the crook of Leon's elbow.</p>
<p>Isabella bit the corner of her lip. The more she thought about it, Rami tended to be where Leon was whenever he was home. Isabella opened up the photos application on her Rotom. She set her filters to include Rami, herself, and Leon. As she began to swipe through, Rami was practically attached to Leon in every single photo. Isabella let out an audible, "Huh."</p>
<p>'<em>Out of all of the people that could tell me they were going to take Rami with them, Leon, Hop, and my mom are the few that could actually do it without him freaking out,</em>' she mused. Perhaps it was the fact that Leon wasn't around as much and Rami wanted to spend time with him while he was here. Or maybe it was some sort of respect hierarchy Rami had? Gravitating towards the person he respected most in the room at the time? She shook her head. There were a lot of variables. She would have to see him around Leon more to really judge it. Isabella looked back down her phone and swiped through more of the photos. Isabella began to laugh. She landed on the photo of the three of them at the Professor's lake. It was Rami's first time meeting Sonia's Yamper and he wasn't expecting the static electricity from his cuddle. Rami was slow to trust but he gave Yamper a hug and received a jolt. Rami ran back to Isabella, screeching and jumped into her arms. She lifted him with a hug and Leon surrounded them both, one arm around Isabella's back and one hand protectively on Rami's head. He looked petrified in the photo, but Isabella and Leon were smiling warmly at the tiny green dragon. Isabella grinned shamelessly at her phone. She compared it to a mother and father trying to comfort their small child after he fell off his bike for the first time which was fitting of Rami's origins.</p>
<p>Her Rotom phone was recording the event as Isabella was still doing some basic research on Rami in general. She was so happy her Rotom takes photos when it thinks that it might be something she wants to look at later. It's one of her fondest memories.</p>
<p>"There you are," came Trevor's caramel voice. Isabella jolted upright on the bench. She met his concerned eyes. "I was worried when you left." She didn't respond at first.</p>
<p>'<em>If you were worried, why didn't you call? Or text?'</em> she wondered. '<em>And why did it take you so long to finally show up?</em>'</p>
<p>"No, I'm fine," she lied. Trevor began walking over to her, boots heavy against the cobblestone walkway. "I just wanted some time alone." His blue eyes glanced down at her phone instinctively as she tried to put it away. He reached out and grabbed her wrist to stop her. She snapped her head to him and tried to pull her hand away. His grip was tight. Her eyebrows knit together.</p>
<p>"Trevor, what are you doing? Stop." He didn't respond to her. His eyes locked onto her phone's screen. The only thing on display was the photo of her, Leon, and Rami she was looking at. Isabella followed his gaze to her phone and her eyes widened. Within a split second, she knew his train of thought. Trevor was never a jealous person but he always tried to tell her that Leon wasn't the person he was at home.</p>
<p>He let out a sigh and loosened his grip on her wrist. He slid his calloused hand down her wrist to her hand and tugged her gently to her feet. Her Rotom phone hid the photo display and flew a little ways away, watching from a distance. Isabella eyed Rotom with cautious acceptance but said nothing.</p>
<p>"I'm not going to be a broken record about that guy, Isabella," he stated. "When I asked Hop just now about why you ran off, Leon tried to attack me. He pushed me and told me that he was going to have his Charizard flay me alive if I didn't leave." Her eyebrow raised in question. He gave a quick nod.</p>
<p>"Yeah," he urged. "I don't know what the hell's wrong with that guy, but he's a huge dick to everyone under him at the League. And honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they're all trying to tell you that I'm not good for you." He let go of her hands and rubbed his lower jaw roughly. She looked into his eyes. Something, to her, seemed off. He was acting a fraction more frantic than he normally does.</p>
<p>"Leon.. I don't think he would do that," she mumbled. Trevor locked eyes with her. His pupils pulled to a tight point. He almost looked foreign to her at the moment. She felt a reaction in her gut. Something told her she needed to leave, but she couldn't. She cared for him. He took her on fun trips, spent time with her, and would do what he could to let her know she mattered to him. She didn't like to give up on people. And she didn't want to give up on this if she didn't have to.</p>
<p>"Leon. Isn't. Good," he stated. His eyes were unblinking. She could tell his jaw was tense. She could tell how serious he was about this. "Look, Izzy. This place is a bubble. A vacuum. They're getting into your head. We need to get you out of here so you can finally have some clarity." He reached out to pull her closer when he grabbed her bracelet. She stumbled a little forward.</p>
<p>"Where did you get this?" he demanded. Isabella tried to pull her arm back, but Trevor's vice grip on her wrist was too tight. She couldn't move her thumb anymore. The pressure was pinching her nerves and it was beginning to burn.</p>
<p>"Trevor, let go."</p>
<p>"Where did you get this?" he repeated in a thin, curt tone.</p>
<p>"It was a gift. Trevor, you're hurting me."</p>
<p>"Who gave it to you?" He looked directly into her eyes. His pupils pulled to tight points. Her fingers were beginning to pulse from the constriction on her wrist. Her breath began to quicken and heart pumping in her ears. She didn't want to tell him because she was sure he would react worse than this. She didn't know what he would do.</p>
<p>Her silence gave him the answer before she had time to say anything. He grabbed the bracelet with his other hand, tightening his grip on her wrist at the same time. "This isn't just a birthday gift, okay? This is <em>expensive</em>. Hop can't afford this shit. Neither can his hick family, except <em>one</em> person." He began to turn the bracelet around her wrist, examining it.</p>
<p>"This isn't a gift you get for a neighbor you see like.. once or twice a month. What the fuck has been going on here when I'm not here?" he demanded, volume increasing with every word. He let go of the bracelet and ripped her arm down to his side, forcing her forward and cupping her face with his free hand. Isabella reached up with her free hand to push him away but he gripped tighter. He was immobile. Isabella began to thrash in his grip.</p>
<p>"Trevor, stop! Nothing's been happening! You're being psychotic! Let go of me!"</p>
<p>He snarled at her and threw her face to her side, and she yelped at the sharp pain in her neck. He reached down to her bracelet and yanked it from her wrist, snapping the chain and sending the pieces flying over the cobblestone path. The snap caused a sharp pain in her wrist and she could feel something pull inside of her wrist. Isabella let out a yelp as Trevor threw her wrist back at her, knocking her onto the ground. He threw the remaining pieces of the bracelet he had in his hand to the ground next to him.</p>
<p>With an angry pointed finger, he began shouting, "I came out here for you and this is how you're going to repay me? I dropped overtime hours. I dropped extra money that could've gone towards something for us. I dropped time that I could've used for a promotion at work. And you're gallivanting around with this tool and his family. Are you fucking kidding me, Izzy?" Isabella looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "You can't just accept gifts like this without thinking about the intentions behind them. You <em>know </em>how I feel about this guy and what I've told you about him." Trevor began to stammer out of anger.</p>
<p>"I should've known that getting into this with you but I wanted to give you a shot because I loved you. But you need to do better. You can be so much more than this. I just…"</p>
<p>He let out a huge sigh and wiped his face. "I need some time to think about this. I'll talk to you later." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away a few steps. He took out his Pokeball and called out his Corviknight. It let out a loud screech before he hopped on and flew off without another look at her.</p>
<p>Isabella sat on the ground, staring at the sky in shock. The tears were running down her cheeks but she wasn't making a sound. Her hand and forearm were pulsating, and her lower back was hurting from her collision onto the ground. Her senses were so overwhelmed. Rotom approached her, making soft buzzing noises to get her attention. She glanced at the Pokemon with a blank expression. Rotom frowned at her face and played her a small video of Rami running after Wooloo at the Professor's lake in an attempt to cheer her up. Her eyes had glossed over and seemed to be looking straight through Rotom. When the video ended, Rotom's face reappeared. It's expression dropped. She was staring into the air with glossy eyes.</p>
<p>Isabella placed her healthy hand on the ground and lifted herself off of the cobblestone, standing with a shaky demeanor. She began to stumble around, picking up the pieces of the bracelets she could find. She sniffled quietly, placing them on the stone bench and trying to align them to ensure she had collected all the pieces. As she placed the pieces where she could remember where they went, she noticed she was missing the dragon pendant with her father's name on the back. She began to thrash through the bushes nearby, flipping over rocks, and sorting through everything she could.</p>
<p>"Rotom?" she called. "Can you see if you can find the other pendant? I don't see it. I need it."</p>
<p>Rotom paused for a moment as if processing her request, and flew directly over to the entrance of the inn to find the final dragon pendant. It appeared to be all the pieces. She sniffled and wiped her eyes before scooping the pieces into her hand. Her left arm was stinging and burning from Trevor's grasp. It had a red hand print coiled around her wrist and there was a cut mark from the bracelet ripping into her skin. She did her best to ignore the pain and stood upright. She glanced at Rotom to see it was already about two in the morning.</p>
<p>Isabella wiped her eyes once more. She didn't know much. She was afraid and scared, and not really sure how to process what had just happened. But she did know one thing for sure.</p>
<p>That reaction wasn't okay.</p>
<p>Isabella wanted to be with her friends. She wanted to be with people. She wanted to not be alone with him anytime soon. And she wanted a strong Pokemon like Charizard to protect her if Trevor tried to do anything to her again.</p>
<p>"Hey Rotom?" It chirped and flew next to her. "Send Hop a text. Just tell him... that I'm in."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Forest Secrets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Leon woke the next morning fast asleep against Charizard’s muscular form. He tilted his hat upright off of his face to reveal the dimly lit morning sun beginning to rise over the trees beyond the lake at the Professor’s house. He gave a well-deserved stretch and checked his phone for the time. It was a quarter after six in the morning. He noticed he had one new text. Upon opening, it was a message from Chris. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey man. Looks like Trevor left town last night shortly after he left the party. Idk what happened after he ditched your place but word has it he’s back at the League Commission in Wyndon. Let me know if you want me to file a report with League Conduct.</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ Leon closed the message without responding. He looked around the area to see Isabella had not showed up. He wondered if she was okay. If Trevor left, then she probably just went home. Charizard made a small huff noise at Leon. When they met eyes, he could see the question behind Charizard’s blue hues. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, partner. No news.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charizard gave a solemn nod, then turned to see how Rami was doing. He was fast asleep in the grass, curled up against Charizard’s coiled tail. Charizard gave a slow, content blink before coiling his head back to the ground. Leon gave Charizard an affectionate pat on the head before standing up. He knew he would need to get started on the recommendation reports to the invitationals and get the letters drawn for Isabella and Hop before he met them for lunch. He pulled out his Rotom and told it to send Hop a text to grab Isabella before coming over to make sure she was alright. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Isabella spent the whole morning packing a bag for traveling. Several pairs of clothes, washing supplies, cooking supplies, and more. As she finished packing her bag, she approached her full length mirror. Her left arm was bruised from her fingertips all the way up to the middle of her forearm. It was a nasty sight of discoloration from deep purples and blues. It hurt to grip things even with a soft touch and it was going to raise a lot of questions. Her jaw had light bruising from where Trevor had gripped her. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt as much. She needed to hide the bruises. Isabella opened up her vanity to pull out some of her rainbow athletic tape. She wrapped her wrist all the way up her arm to try and hide the bruises. It certainly did the job, but it was a little unusual. She decided to wrap both of her arms to seem less conspicuous and went with a monochromatic outfit with a black tank top with a Poliwag design and light wash jean shorts. Afterwards, she applied as much makeup as she could to hide the bruising on her jawline. After running her fingers through her hair, she let out a sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How it came to this, she’ll never know. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she walked into the kitchen and met her mother having breakfast. She sat down and dropped her bag to her side with a quiet thump. Lisbeth looked over her coffee cup’s lip to see the traveling bag, and showed a subtle hint at a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it you made a decision, sweetheart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella gave a solemn nod. “Yeah. Mama, I think it’s time I head out. I’ll visit, I promise. And I’ll make sure Eleanora comes over to check on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lisbeth put a defiant hand up. “Don’t worry about me, honey. We’re both grown women,” she soothed. Isabella couldn’t bring herself to meet her mother’s eyes, and Lisbeth noticed. “I will be just fine.” She watched her daughter with cautious intent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did your night go with Trevor?” she asked. Isabella glanced at her mother’s eyes and Lisbeth could see the hesitation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to talk about it too much, to be honest,” she relented. “It wasn’t very nice, and I don’t know if I want to see him very much anymore.” Lisbeth set her coffee mug down a bit harsher than she intended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t try to pressure you, did he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, mom. He didn’t.” Isabella placed a hand on her wrist without thinking about it. “He said some mean things about Hop and his family, and I just.. I realized I didn’t want to be with someone who thought like that.. About my friends and my family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella wasn’t lying. But she didn’t want to worry her mother. She met her mother’s concerned eyes and forced a smile. “The Dandels have done so much for us. I need to be with someone who can appreciate that, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lisbeth began searching her daughter’s eyes, trying to discern if it was true or not. She nodded in response. “You’re right. You need to be with someone that can respect you and the people you choose to have in your life. Someone who respects </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Lisbeth was very insistent. Isabella nodded, then stood reaching for her bag. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to go get Rami some of those apples he likes from the Weald,” she stated. Lisbeth followed her daughter with her eyes. “If Hop swings by, can you just tell him I’m there? He’s supposed to come grab me to meet Leon for lunch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother smiled. “Of course. And sweetheart?” Isabella turned as she grabbed the door handle, looking over her shoulder. “I love you. You know that.” Isabella gave a genuine smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I love you too.” Lisbeth smiled, and then ushered for her to leave. She gave a small chuckle before walking out and closing the door behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella strolled into the Slumbering Weald like she normally did. However, it seemed a little more foggy today than normal. She didn’t give it much of a thought as she kept walking further into the forest. Her usual spots for the apples Rami liked were empty. Skwovet’s really liked the apples, too, so she wasn’t surprised the usual haunts were empty. She began to walk further into the forest, thinking about how she would be able to hide the injury from Hop on their adventure. She wasn’t sure how long it would take to heal. It hurt to pick anything up with that hand. Rami loved to be held, and she loved to hold him. It would be beyond difficult to hide that from him. It would be out of the ordinary for her. Rami also had a strange sense with her. He could always pick up when something was wrong with her. He knew days before she would get sick that something was off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked into the log that Rami and her would frequent to find it empty of apples, just like the ones before. Isabella sighed. Where could they have gone? She glanced around the area. She began to notice that she wasn’t seeing much of any Pokemon wandering around, either. No Rookidees, no Skwovets… The fog seemed to be getting thicker, too. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to be prepared in case of danger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From her waistband, she pulled out her Pokeball and cast it into the air. Ruby landed on the ground from the ball’s bright white light with a triumphant bark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Rubes. The forest is different today,” she stated. Meeting Ruby’s intense earthy eyes, she gave a confident smile. “We’re looking for those apples your brother likes. Can you help me find them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby gave another bark in agreement and began to sniff the ground. Within seconds, Ruby gave a nod and began to trot further into the woods. Isabella glanced around, eyeing the fog with suspicion, before following Ruby into the woods. It was eerie. She had never seen the fog this dense or the forest this quiet before. Ruby was skipping through the forest, sniffing around for the apples Isabella asked her to look for. They crossed over the cobblestone bridge and into the thick of it. The fog became more dense and it was beginning to feel different on her skin. Isabella rubbed her upper arms. Ruby began to trot a little faster, seeming to have found some apples. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby, wait, stay close,” she called out. Ruby stopped on a dime and turned around, skipping back to Isabella with a hushed bark. At her call, there was a disembodied howl in the woods, echoing for what seemed like kilometers. Isabella looked around, attempting to find the source. Ruby crawled onto Isabella’s shoes, growling into the fog. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izzy?” A familiar orotund voice echoed behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hop?” She called back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izzy! I can’t see you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried to walk towards his voice but the fog made it hard to see her hands. “Hop! Can you hear me? Walk to my voice!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another howl into the woods. It sounded close now. Isabella turned around and met the sunset colored eyes of a wolf like Pokemon. She froze, caught in its gaze. She felt mesmerized. Its head tilted to the side ever so slightly. It had deep slash marks embedded into its forehead and its ear was cut in half. There were links of pink fur cascading from its jawbones around its sides, and a stoic look across its face. The fog cleared between them and it backed away a few meters. Ruby began growling at it and charged forward, challenging it to a fight. The Pokemon looked down towards Ruby. Ruby continued to bark, but didn’t move any further closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby, don’t!” Isabella called. Ruby stopped barking, ear tilted towards Isabella, and she looked over her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella didn’t break eye contact with the Pokemon as it met her eyes once more. She had never seen anything so elegant and graceful before. Its beautiful pastel blue fur formed elegant sharp points down into ribbons around it’s arms, and it was unlike anything she had ever seen. She approached it a few steps at a time. The Pokemon let out another deafening howl, echoing into the woods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izzy! What are you doing?” Hop cried out. She glanced over her shoulder to see Hop had finally found her. His Wooloo was at his side, crying out at her and Ruby. She didn’t respond to Hop, but turned her head back towards the Pokemon. It held the gaze with her. She could see very little behind its eyes. There was something there behind the solemn stare. Curiosity, perhaps? Isabella took a few more steps, reaching her hand out in an offering. Her palm faced up towards the sky as she extended her greeting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izzy!” Hop cried once more. She ignored his calls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Pokemon did not look towards Hop. It did not look at her hand. It simply held the gaze they maintained. She wasn’t sure why it had shown up. Had she trespassed too far into the forest? It was nonviolent, however. It seemed to be almost inquisitive. As if learning why she was here. But there was something in its eyes. As if it had been waiting for someone to show. Isabella could feel the pull of emotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you in danger?” she asked it. It held the gaze, unwavering and unblinking. She took a few more steps towards the creature. At this point, she was within arms reach. She lowered her hand to her side. “Were you waiting for us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was at that point Wooloo charged forward, barreling into the side of the Pokemon. Instead of colliding with it, there was a magical wave that overtook the perimeter of the wolf-like forest Pokemon. Wooloo took no damage and dealt nothing, and was thrown back towards Hop. Hop charged forward and grabbed Isabella’s arms to pull her back. The pain in her bruised wrist took over and she let out a loud yelp in pain. Ruby began barking loudly again at the Pokemon. With all of the excitement and energy, the Pokemon let out another loud howl. The fog whipped up and blanketed the area, creating a whirlwind of energy. Hop and Isabella were thrown off of their feet. With a loud slam, they were thrown into the ground and the world fell into darkness.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Where are they?” Leon huffed. He stamped his foot on the ground, checking the clock on his Rotom phone. It was already three in the afternoon, and they should’ve arrived over two hours ago. Sonia gave a gentle chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re still young, Leon,” she giggled. “Perhaps they got caught up doing something silly. You know how they get.” Leon gave her an agreeable nod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but.. This isn’t like Hop. He’ll let me know if they’re running late.” He checked his text messages from Hop again. The last one received was: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, her mom said she went to get Rami some apples from the Weald. I’ll grab her and be over</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If they went in there, they should’ve only been a few minutes. It shouldn’t take hours. He sent me this text four hours ago,” Leon urged. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, readjusting his hat. Sonia shifted on her foot and leaned to the side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If they’ve been in the Weald this long, that can’t be good, Leon,” she declared. “You know the rumors. That place is dangerous.” Leon nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going after them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a matter of minutes, Charizard flew Leon over the Slumbering Weald. He could see how thick the fog was from above and knew he wouldn’t be able to find them this way. His heart began to beat faster and his nerves were high. He knew he had to stay alert. He shared a knowing glance with Charizard to maintain awareness. Charizard flew them down into the entrance. Leon took a deep breath as they began trekking into the woods. He was feeling uneasy as they walked through the woods. He had no idea how Isabella came into the Weald so frequently, especially considering she didn’t have any Pokemon that could protect her like he had. He gave a quick glance to Charizard. He was walking tall, eyes wide and alert. He was giving a subtle sniff every so often. Leon assumed to find Isabella and Hop. He didn’t know where he would be without his partner. He gave Charizard a warm pat on the arm. Charizard glanced at his partner and made an audible acknowledgement with a warm smile. Leon returned the look before continuing forward. As they approached the cobblestone bridge, the fog began to clear. It wasn’t much longer before Charizard began to grumble. Leon glanced at him and Charizard ushered his neck towards the left path ahead of them. As Leon jogged forward, he could see them collapsed on the ground away from each other. Leon charged forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hop! Izzy!” He skid on his knees over to Hop as Charizard flew over to Isabella. He shook his brother at the shoulders, tapping his face with an open palm. Wooloo and Ruby were on the ground not too far away, stirring in an attempt to stand. Both were incredibly weak and wounded. Leon glanced up at them and grimaced at the scuff marks on their legs and faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon reached into his back belt to pull out his Pokeball and he summoned forth his Dragapult. He let out a soft cry, adjusting to his surroundings. Leon threw open his bag and handed Dragapult a full restore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go fix them up, buddy,” he ordered. Dragapult nodded and floated over to the young Pokemon, spraying the medicine over their wounds with cautious accuracy. Hop began to stir at Leon’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lee…? Lee, what..?” Leon’s eyes widened at Hop’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! Hey, hey, hey champ. What the hell happened? Are you okay?” Hop reached up with a shaky hand and rubbed his eyes erratically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think so,” came his weak answer. He attempted to lean forward to sit up and Leon assisted him. Hop put his elbow on his raised knee and leaned his head into his hand. “I don’t know what happened.. That Pokemon just came out of nowhere. It was so strong. I couldn’t find her in the fog-- wait, Izzy!” His head shot up and he looked around. Charizard was trying to lift her off the ground but she was out cold. Hop scrambled to his feet and tripped over to her. Leon chased after his younger brother, kneeling down beside their unconscious neighbor. Her athletic tape must've been blown off in the blast as her arms were very much visible. Charizard placed her gently on the ground in front of Leon and Hop. Hop immediately grabbed her arm, inspecting it. The discoloration was deep and intense, and scattered all over from her fingers to her elbow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, that thing did a number on you guys,” Leon murmured. “She must’ve landed on her wrist at a weird angle or something.” Hop glanced at his brother but said nothing. He remembered how she cried out when he grabbed it before the whirlwind. Hop inspected it further to see the hand print very vague on her wrist and he immediately placed his hand over it to conceal it from Leon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It-It’s still warm. Do you have an ice pack or something?” Hop stuttered. Leon gave a nod and jogged over to his bag. Hop glanced back to make sure his brother wasn’t watching, and he checked it further. He found the cuts on the underside and could see the bruising go all the way down her forearm to her fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn it, Izzy,” he whispered. He stood and got on the other side of her so he could do his best to wrap her wound. Wooloo and Ruby stumbled over to Isabella and Hop. They appeared out of it but at least they were standing. Ruby curled up next to Isabella’s neck, whimpering softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon walked back over with the ice pack and a bandage. He massaged the ice pack to activate the ingredients and placed it over her wrist, allowing Hop to wrap it. Isabella began to stir, mumbling under her breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon and Hop met eyes, sharing the confusion in their gaze. Leon looked back down at her. She still seemed out cold. “Izzy?” He grabbed her hand as gentle as he could and gave it a squeeze. “Hey, you there?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hop looked toward his brother. He could see the focus in Leon’s eyes as he attempted to wake up his best friend. He had never seen his brother’s eyes so gentle before. Hop’s eyes narrowed as he watched his brother. Leon placed his other hand on Isabella’s shoulder and rocked it back and forth, calling to her as quietly as he could. Isabella stirred a bit more. Hop peered with intent, watching every microexpression. Something was off. Something was different. Why was Leon being so attentive? He was never gentle with Isabella. He’s seen Leon slam Isabella into a wall when they were wrestling for a game controller before. He laughs at her when she falls down, which was often with how clumsy she could be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, she jolted upright, gasping for breath. Leon immediately placed a hand on her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey, calm down. We’re here,” he soothed. Isabella’s eyes were beady and erratic, shooting from one thing to the next. Leon let go of her hand and cupped her face, turning her face to his with a gentle grace. Her skin felt like the silk touch of petals on a flower, yet somehow familiar. Isabella’s eyes bounced from his left and right eye, struggling to settle from her panic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Breathe,” he cooed. “You’re fine. We’ve got you.” Like magic, Leon’s collected calm seem to wash over her and her heart rate seemed to fall in sync with his own, settling her breathing. Her pupils dilated, and she let out a ragged breath. His thumb caressed her temple with a ginger touch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” came his controlled, deep voice. All of the thoughts plaguing her mind came to a slow halt and she relaxed in his grasp. She did her best to give him a warm smile, but she could barely curl her lips in her state. Hop maintained a stillness as he observed his older brother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long have I been out?” came her light tones. Leon shot a curious look at his younger brother and that’s when Isabella looked over, eyes widening at Hop as if she was unaware he was right there. She could feel the heat on her cheeks, both from embarrassment and the warmth radiating from Leon’s silken hands. Both of her hands shot up to remove Leon’s hands from her face but the ice pack shifted and fell off before she could reach his hands. It caused burning and stinging sensations to shoot up her arm. She let out an unintentional yelp and grasped the wrist firmly. Leon’s hand shot to her shoulder, gripping it with a firm concern, as the other hand hovered over her wounded arm. Hop placed his hand on her lap in a meek effort to comfort her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, we need to get out of here if that thing comes back,” Hop muttered, eyes shifting around the forest with suspicion. “Being this far in isn’t safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon nodded at his younger brother. “Hop, go gather everyone and get my bag.” Hop held the gaze with his brother firmly before he took the gaze to Isabella. His eyes clouded over for a moment before he nodded in agreement and walked away. Leon chose to ignore the reaction for the time being and focus on Isabella. “Can you stand?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella blinked slow at Leon with a timid nod before attempting to stand up. He grabbed her unwounded hand with a cautious grip, interlocking their thumbs for support. Her cheeks flushed at the warmth between them as she pulled herself to her feet with his help. Leon placed a hand on her back to help steady her and she unknowingly leaned into his embrace. Leon’s eyes widened at the proximity of her head to his shoulder, yet he didn’t let go of her hand. Her eyes traveled up his torso to his face and anchored onto a gaze with his bronze eyes. She could’ve let go of his hand. She could’ve moved away. But he could’ve, too. Her breath quickened when she came to that realization. Their cupped hands began to lower and Leon turned his eyes to them. He released her hand with a gentle touch. Leon took in a soft breath, heart racing, before sliding his fingers between hers with cautious uncertainty. Isabella felt her heart beating into her lungs and she glanced at their hands before catching his amber eyes once more. Her lips parted as she was met with that warm face of his that she loved to see. A smile involuntarily made its way to her delicate face, and his lips curled upon sight of her expression. He began to wonder if she felt different about him, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charizard let out a loud grumble, breaking their gaze, and Leon immediately dropped their hands. A light blush fell on his cheeks as he snapped back into focus. Hop approached Leon and handed him his bag with a haphazard throw. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izzy, are you good to walk?” Leon stammered, clearing his voice with a soft cough. She glanced away from him, nodding in agreement and reapplying the ice pack to her wrist. Hop’s eyes bounced between the two but he stayed quiet as they exited the forest.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>After an hour of being doted on by her mother, Isabella, Hop, and Leon left to make their way to the Professor’s house. Shortly after arriving, Leon told them to wait by the lake so he could get the gift he had prepared for the both of them. Isabella took a seat on the bench nearby, folding her hands in her lap. Hop shoved his hands deep in his pockets and tracked her movements. She interrupted his gaze by tilting her head. Hop side-eyed the lab before jogging over and sitting heavy next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s your arm?” he said in a flat tone. She caught his tone, but said nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright. Just stings,” she replied as short as possible. She didn’t want to say too much. Hop nodded for an unusually long time before speaking again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That didn’t happen in the Weald,” he declared. Isabella’s eyes shot towards him at the accusation. He met her gaze hard with a stern, unblinking amber look. Her eyes wavered at his force, and she drifted her gaze to the ground. She didn’t know what he knew and she didn’t want to lie to her best friend. “Izzy, what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella let out a deep breath and began to pick at her thumbs. “I guess Trevor got really upset by whatever happened between him and Lee at the party after I left. He saw the bracelet Leon got me and he.. I don't know. He flipped out, Hop. I don’t know if he knew how hard he grabbed my hand but he left right afterwards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He… He didn’t make you do anything, did he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isabella’s head shot up. “No! No, of course not,” she exclaimed. “No, he was just really upset and left right after.” Her thumb began to bleed and she pressed it against her jean shorts. “I’m not going to talk to him for awhile. I just want to be away from him for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hop grabbed her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. “Izzy, that guy is nuts. Don’t go back to him,” he said. She nodded in response, refusing to look up at Hop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t tell anyone,” she pleaded, glancing at the Professor’s lab. Hop understood what she meant. “You know he’ll do something stupid. And I don’t want anyone knowing yet. Not until I officially break it off with Trevor, okay?” Hop nodded in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Insinuations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leon stood at the doorway of Professor Magnolia's house, looking out at his younger brother and childhood friend. Magnolia placed a gentle, reassuring hand on Leon's shoulder. His eyes darted in her direction, but only for a moment before they landed right back on the two young adults outside.</p>
<p>"Are you worried, dear?" she asked, her croaky voice resonating in the greenhouse of her home. Leon let out a heavy breath and placed a tense hand on the nape of his neck.</p>
<p>"Worried might be the wrong word," he admitted. "Maybe anxious? I mean… what possessed her to walk so far into the Weald? She knows how dangerous it is…"</p>
<p>Magnolia gave a sly smile. "She can defend herself just fine."</p>
<p>Leon shook his head. "No, she got hurt. I promise Lisbeth I would protect them. They haven't even left and she got hurt," he sighed. "How am I supposed to watch her and help her if I'm not there?"</p>
<p>"Well," she sighed. "Maybe you should put more faith in Hop." At her statement, Leon turned his head fully to the professor. The wrinkles beside her mouth curled around her genuine smile. Leon felt comforted by her. "They're very close, Leon. Maybe you should talk to Hop and tell him about everything."</p>
<p>Leon's eyes squinted toward the professor. "What do you mean <em>everything</em>?"</p>
<p>She smiled knowingly. "Tell him about your promise to her mother. Tell him why it's important to you."</p>
<p>Leon gave an inadvertent scoff and turned his attention back to the two outside. Rami was sprinting toward Isabella, chirping the whole way. It brought a smile to Leon's face, and Magnolia held in a chuckle at the sight.</p>
<p>"She means more to you than you'll tell anyone," the professor said. Leon spun to her at the accusation. She merely held her hand up in protest before he could speak. "You don't owe me an explanation. <em>But</em> if you intend to keep her safe, you'll need more hands than just your own." Leon said nothing. He hadn't expected anyone to confront him in such a blunt manner. He glanced back over his shoulder at her only to see her rolling around on the ground with Rami, squealing with delight. He could feel his cheeks warm, watching her react in soft sunlight. Perhaps it was becoming evident to others that his feelings were shifting from those of a platonic nature to more. He wasn't even sure what he was feeling or what to do with the emotions, so he knew talking to anyone about it would result in more confusion.</p>
<p>Leon pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut tight. It wasn't just him, though. He went for it and tried holding her hand. He wanted to see her reaction to it. She smiled. She smiled at him. She didn't let go. She didn't jerk her hand away. That had to mean something, right?</p>
<p>He shook his head for a moment before meeting Magnolia's eyes. "Nothing's happened… You know that, right?" She chuckled and gave him a soft pat on the arm.</p>
<p>"Dear, you don't need to tell me anything," she said. She took a cautious pause before saying, "Just make sure you know how you feel before you do anything." Leon held her gaze, searching for something more than that ominous statement. She said nothing more, and Leon accepted it with a solemn nod.</p>
<p>"Now, let's go out there. They're waiting for you."</p>
<p>As Leon walked through the front door, the sound of the shut behind him alerted Hop and Isabella. As soon as he caught her eyes, a radiant smile spread across her face. He could feel the pulse in his chest and the slight buckle in his knees. The involuntary reaction of smiling back at her was almost habitual at this point. He did his best to fight the reaction and allow the overeager smile fade into something more platonic as he approached them. The Pokeballs in the rucksack in his hand were shaking with wild excitement. This was as much of a big day for them as it was for Isabella and Hop. Isabella stood with purpose and took a few skittish steps toward him. Rami, chirping as usual, took a proud stance next to her with his chin pointed up toward Leon. Leon caught Hop's curious gaze from behind her. He could see the speculation and the gears turning in Hop's eyes. He was a clever boy, after all.</p>
<p>"Hey, Lee," came Isabella's quiet stammer. "I'm really sorry about how, uh… Trevor was acting." Hop approached the two of them with Wooloo trekking behind with a quiet hum to his demeanor. Leon held Hop's eyes, attempting to convey the fact he wanted to speak with his little brother in private. Hop's eyes seemed to squint in inquiry and then in understanding as Leon gave a slight tilt to his head.</p>
<p>"I'm sure he knows, Izzy," Hop rebuked with a gentle tap to her barren shoulder. She shot a glance to Hop with a calm blink and nodded. Leon's eyes seemed to lighten as she met his gaze again.</p>
<p>"I'm just glad you're both okay." Leon's tone was ebullient and genuine, and the calm seemed to wash over Isabella as her shoulders eased up. "You two are about to set off on an amazing journey. You need to be more careful," Leon warned. Hop nudged Isabella gruffly in the side with a smirk.</p>
<p>"I'm not the one looking for apples in a fog so dense you can't see your own hand in front of your face," he jested. With cat-like reflexes, Hop dodged her swipe as she clawed toward him with a snarl.</p>
<p>"Rami likes those apples!"</p>
<p>"That's not a good defense!"</p>
<p>"Ahx!" Rami charged toward Hop and, with an open jaw, lunged at his foot before being lifted in the air by Leon's firm grasp.</p>
<p>"And maybe a certain tiny Dragon needs to cool his jets and not be so hot-headed all the time, huh?" Leon mocked as he swung Rami from side to side. Rami let out a gruff sigh and wiggled with force in Leon's grip, but let his legs hang as he realized he couldn't do anything. Leon gave a cocky smirk before setting Rami back on the ground.</p>
<p>"Now, I know you two have a huge journey ahead of you and you don't want to waste much time here when you could be on the road, experiencing it. So I've brought you a gift." With that, Leon reached into his bag and threw the three Pokeballs into the air. Exploding with excitement, out popped a Grookey, a Sobble, and a Scorbunny. Wooloo, Ruby, and Rami began chirping and barking with glee before charging forward, initiating a colossal game of tag. Hop and Isabella began laughing, dodging the Pokemon as they ran around, between, and through their legs. Leon glanced at the Pokemon before looking straight towards Isabella. Despite her arm injury, she was smiling. Hop was right there with her, as well. He was cautiously close. Perhaps the Professor was right. Maybe he could rely on Hop to be there when he couldn't.</p>
<p>"So," Leon interrupted. "Let's let them play for a bit and see how they get along." Isabella and Hop looked to Leon with a light in their eyes and nodded. Isabella immediately pulled her Rotom phone out to document the play session. Leon put his hand on Hop's shoulder.</p>
<p>"Hey, can I talk to you? Just us?"</p>
<p>Hop met his gaze and nodded. The two brothers sauntered off with snake-like stealth. As they stepped over towards the lake, Leon took a healthy pause before crossing his arms over his chest.</p>
<p>"Lisbeth asked me to look over her," he explained, nodding his head in Isabella's direction. Hop stared with observant intent into Leon's eyes. "I think she wanted Trevor gone and for Izzy to branch out."</p>
<p>Hop nodded with a sluggish head tilt. Leon met his brothers eyes, curious at the lack of response.</p>
<p>"And..?" Hop encouraged. Leon scowled at his younger brother as Hop smirked.</p>
<p>"<em>And </em>I need your help. I have a lot of responsibilities and meetings coming up in preparation for the reveal, and I can't be there all the time," he relented. Hop grinned at his brother's request.</p>
<p>"Oh, the big and mighty undefeated Champion needs help from a lowly peasant? <em>Blasphemy!</em>"</p>
<p>Leon's hand swung quick to the back of Hop's head with a loud thud. Hop stumbled forward, laughing and rubbing the wounded spot.</p>
<p>"I wouldn't ask if I had another solution," Leon argued "I just… Something's not right with Trevor. Iz needs someone there with her. I don't want her alone with him." He turned to Hop fully and pointed with firm direction.</p>
<p>"You <em>call me immediately </em>if that fucker ever shows up. I will be there in a heartbeat."</p>
<p>Hop stopped laughing as Leon spoke of Trevor. Leon could see the cloud of thought in his brother's eyes but Hop held his determined silence. Leon, however, would not let that go by unnoticed. "What happened?"</p>
<p>"Nothing!" came Hop's immediate rebuke. Leon scowled at his brother and Hop put up his hands in defense. "They... <em>may</em> have broken up. I'm not sure."</p>
<p>"Why aren't you sure?"<br/>"Because she didn't say."<br/>"Well, why didn't you ask her?"<br/>"Because it's not any of my business."<br/>"Well, you need to find out for sure."</p>
<p>"Well, damn, Lee! Why don't you just stick your tongue down her throat?!" Hop snapped loudly. Leon's eyes widened for a brief moment before he shoved his brother, glancing around frantically.</p>
<p>"Fucking-... be quiet!" Leon hissed. Hop glared at his brother, leaning toward him.</p>
<p>"What - worried she might hear?"</p>
<p>"I'm asking for her mom, you twit," Leon rebutted. Hop held a firm gaze with his younger brother. Leon knew his older brother was stubborn, but the unwavering dominance in his stare was unlike him. "Hop," Leon warned.</p>
<p>"You would tell me," Hop insisted. "You would tell me if something was going on with you and Izzy." Hop's tone held a sharp punch at his older brother, as if putting him on notice.</p>
<p>"She's<em> my </em>best friend, Leon."</p>
<p>Leon took a step back from Hop, uncrossing his arms. His citrine eyes darted from Hop's eyes to his facial features, desperate for some explanation for this sudden reaction. The dictation he used was concerning Leon. Hop was almost possessive over her. Leon understood to a point. They were inseparable. Every meal, every trip, every task… There was little they didn't do together. One would wonder why Trevor found Leon to be the threat and not Hop. </p>
<p>"I know, little brother," came his response. Leon let out a deep breath. "That's not what's going on. I'm just worried." Hop's eyes squinted towards his brother before he nodded solemnly.</p>
<p>"I don't think she's telling me everything about what happened, and I don't want to push her," Leon stated, turning his gaze towards her. Isabella was reaching down, feeding the small grass monkey a piece of the Weald Apple Rami was fond of so much. Rami seemed irritated by the gesture, and attempted to grab the piece from Isabella. But as he reached, he stopped himself and gestured for Grookey to take the apple piece with a gentle, "Ahx." Leon smiled as he heard Charizard give an approving grunt.</p>
<p>Hop's hand landed on Leon's shoulder, and they met eyes once more. "Lee, she's going to be fine," he reassured. "We're going to train really hard on the way to Motostoke and I'll be there with her every step. I'll protect her. And I know I can call you or Chris if I need to." Leon nodded. He gestured for them to rejoin Isabella and, as they began to walk towards her, Leon stopped Hop once more.</p>
<p>"Text me. Every night. Just… let me know what you guys have been up to, okay?" Hop tilted his head. "Not even just for her sake. But this is a huge undertaking for you. And I remember how much fun I had. Keep me posted." Leon grinned at his younger brother, and headlocked him into an embrace. Hop began laughing with his brother, and it caught the attention of everyone in the area. Isabella smiled and chuckled at the two brothers as they began to wrestle onto the ground, getting caught in Leon's cape and fighting within it. Isabella glanced over their scuffle to see Sonia approaching the Professor's house. She offered a jubilant wave and hop as she scampered over to Isabella, Yamper in tow behind her.</p>
<p>"So the boys are at it again, huh?" she jested with a disengaged hand thrown behind her. Isabella grinned from ear to ear as she stood and gave an exasperated nod.</p>
<p>"You know them," Isabella agreed. Sonia smiled and offered a small hug to her friend. As they embraced, Yamper began to bark at Rami and joined in the game of tag. Sonia pulled away from Isabella and hovered her hand above the bruises on her arm. Concern seemed to be melting from her eyes.</p>
<p>"Leon didn't mention that it looked this bad," she said in a morose tone. Isabella's arm retreated back to her abdomen and she covered it with her other arm.</p>
<p>"It'll be okay," came the quick response. Her reaction time betrayed her, and Sonia caught the defensive and furtive undertones in her response. Sonia put her hands on her hips in a flippant manner, tossing them to one side. Her flame orange side ponytail bounced with her gesture, making a dramatic point. Isabella tightened her own grip, scowling towards her friend. "<em>It'll be okay</em>," she repeated, narrowly hissing through her teeth.</p>
<p>Sonia said nothing more.</p>
<p>"I am merely a text away," came her final thought. Isabella sighed at her, but gave an agreeable nod. Sonia then released her stance and gave a genuine smile. "So, new topic. I heard about what happened in the Weald. Why don't we go talk about it? I brought your favorite snack!" From her teal canvas bag, she revealed a delicately wrapped satin pouch. The blue ribbon wrapped around cascaded down with a small tag that read <em>Bonbon</em>. Isabella's sharp green eyes lit with excitement as she snatched the small purse from her friend's hands with a delighted giggle. She grinned at Sonia and ushered for her to follow her over to the small cherry bench by the lake to talk. As Isabella walked, she opened up her satin pouch to reveal the perfectly sculpted bonbons. She loved them. Sonia's aunt baked very well, and made these for her every so often. They were a light, delicate pastry filled with tender, caramelized apple cubes, coated in dark chocolate and chocolate shavings. Sometimes, her aunt would switch it with a vanilla coating and blonde chocolate shavings. Isabella's favorite was the ruby chocolate. It had a sharp tang to it, and was unlike any flavor she had ever had before. It was delectable and worth the extra cost. It was almost as if dark chocolate met raspberries and lemons, and made a beautiful child.</p>
<p>"So," Sonia began, taking a soft seat next to Isabella. "Tell me more about this Pokemon."</p>
<hr/>
<p>As the sun began to set, Hop and Isabella spent their time with Sonia and Leon, getting advice about their journey. The Pokemon had become tuckered out from playing and in what Isabella liked to call a <em>cuddle puddle </em>on the grass, congealed into one amoebic blob. She was so happy that they became such fast friends. Her and Hop took turns spending time with each Pokemon to see who they bonded more with. She was happy that Grookey seemed to get along with Rami, and even got to share an apple with him. Wooloo let Sobble ride him like a battle steed, and they charged around the yard like a mighty knight. Leon seemed content to take on Scorbunny, as he loved having another fire type for Charizard to take under his arm. Sonia and Hop were inside the Professor's house as she was giving him a lesson on making her all famous curry since he would now have to learn to help cook. Isabella stood on the edge of the lake, breathing in the crisp summer air. She was grateful for this opportunity, and grateful for the chance to deepen her friendship with Hop. But she was also terrified. There was a whole world out there, and she knew nothing of it beyond this part of Galar. Her memories of Johto are scarred and broken. They were painful. At least, they were from when she lived there. She enjoyed the visit every year to place the flowers on her father's gravestone. Ruby enjoyed those visits, too.</p>
<p>But the reminder of his absence was far more painful than anything else. She didn't remember the accident. Not much of it. She could remember the fire and the screams. She remembered her mom dragging her through smoke. After that, she remembered being on the dock and watching the ferry go down. She didn't see her mom for a few days after that. She was in the hospital. Within a few months, they moved here. She was only six years old at the time. She could remember the rest of her childhood. Just not that memory.</p>
<p>Isabella sighed, stroking her necklace with an absent mind. Perhaps it was for the best. Some things are best left alone.</p>
<p>From her pocket, her Rotom began to vibrate. Pulling the phone out, she checked the screen to see the caller ID read <em>Trevor </em>.</p>
<p>Her heart dropped into her stomach for a moment. She just stared at the screen, feeling each vibration of the phone with great intensity.</p>
<p>'<em>It's not worth it. Don't answer it.</em>'</p>
<p>The blood in her hands began to run cold. She could feel her body locking into position. With every vibration, her heart began to beat faster. Despite the chill in her extremities, her forehead and upper lip began to feel incredibly hot. She could feel the moisture wicking onto them.</p>
<p>And then the call stopped, and she could see the missed call icon on the top of her status bar. She exhaled with a deep relief, lowering her hand gently.</p>
<p>But within a second, the phone began to ring again.</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor</em>
</p>
<p>Isabella immediately swiped the red icon to the left, disconnecting the call and declining the interaction. Her heart rate was climbing higher and higher. She could feel her heart beating in her ears, and see the veins pumping blood in the peripheral of her eyes. Her head was pulsating.</p>
<p>More vibration.</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor</em>
</p>
<p>Another decline.</p>
<p>Vibration.</p>
<p>Isabella let out a strangled whimper and swiped the decline one more time.</p>
<p>It continued for several more calls.</p>
<p>After the eighth call, there was no vibration. No sound. She stared at the background of her phone, waiting with panic-stricken anxiety. A new text message came through.</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor has sent you a text message.</em>
</p>
<p>Isabella pulled the status bar down to read the message.</p>
<p>
  <em>You better stop ignoring my calls and answer me NOW.</em>
</p>
<p>She stared at the message in frozen apprehension, as if time stopped all around her. Seconds went by, and then a minute. Then the vibration began again. Another call.</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor</em>
</p>
<p>Isabella couldn't move. She simply looked at the screen with a blank uneasiness and allowed the call to go to voicemail. Another text came in shortly after.</p>
<p>
  <em>Isabella, stop being childish. Pick up.</em>
</p>
<p>Another call.</p>
<p>
  <em>Isabella, sweetheart. You are not being fair to me. Please answer my call.</em>
</p>
<p>Another two calls followed.</p>
<p>
  <em>Don't you miss me? Because I miss you. I love you. That's what you wanted, right? We just need to talk. And we can't do that if you're going to pull this kind of stunt.</em>
</p>
<p>Another call.</p>
<p>
  <em>This is getting ridiculous, and I am getting upset. And I don't want to be upset. I don't think you want me to be upset, either.</em>
</p>
<p>Another call.</p>
<p>Isabella stared at her phone without movement, unsure of what to do or how to feel. She felt trapped in time. This didn't feel real.</p>
<p>Finally, a voicemail came through this time. Her status bar read with 15 missed calls and 1 voicemail. All the texts were on display. She read them over and over again, hoping to find some other meaning behind them. He wouldn't call if he didn't care… right? If he wanted someone with money or a job or prospects, he would just go get them. The only reason he would come back after that night in Wedgehurst would be because he loved her.</p>
<p>That's all she could rationalize.</p>
<p>Another call came through.</p>
<p>
  <em>Trevor</em>
</p>
<p>She just stared at the screen. Isabella finally lifted her other arm, feeling stiffness in her joints, and swiped away the call.</p>
<p>"Not taking his call?" Isabella spun around, dropping her phone, and met Leon's cheerful, warm eyes and affectionate smile. Rotom immediately took flight, lifting back to where it previously was. Leon glanced from Isabella to her phone a few times. "Are you okay..?"</p>
<p>She said nothing. Isabella's mouth opened, but she couldn't breathe. Leon's smile began to fade into one of concern. The loss of his happiness is what snapped her back into reality.</p>
<p>"Yeah, no, I'm fine," she uttered, briefly sniffling and turning to grab her phone. Rotom was still displaying the text messages. She snatched the phone out of the air and muted it before shoving it back into her back pocket. "And.. no, not right now. He'll be okay," she forced with a chuckle. "He manages just fine without me."</p>
<p>Leon eyed her facial features with particular intent, glancing from her eyes to her chin. They traveled down her body to her arms, and he noticed she wasn't wearing the bracelet he got her for her birthday. His brow knit together a touch. She seemed to really love it, and he wasn't sure why she wouldn't wear it today. His eyes traveled to her wounded arm, and he looked at the bruising with curiosity. Isabella could feel his gaze, and immediately pulled her arms into her chest, covering a majority of the bruising. Leon brought his gaze back to her emerald eyes, but she looked beyond him into the woods with a vacant expression. Leon bit the inside of his mouth ever so gently. He could tell something wasn't right, but he knew he had to trust Hop to do his part.</p>
<p>"Are you cold?" he asked. Before she could answer, Leon pulled his Champion's coat off of his shoulders and embraced her with it. Isabella felt the soft tufts of fur rub against her skin and it set a shock through her system. Her eyes widened and she instinctively looked to Leon. He met her gaze and smiled down at her, pulling the front of the cape close together. With a loosely tied knot, he placed his hands on her upper arms and gave them a soft squeeze. "Is that better?"</p>
<p>Looking into his eyes brought her a comfort she hadn't felt in so long. The last time she felt this relief and warmth was by her old family friend after her father had died. She had never been so taken care of before. Not in this sense.</p>
<p>"Yeah," Isabella muttered. She held his gaze, and gave him a tender smile. His chestnut eyes looked impossibly warm in the sunset light, and the sounds of the gentle wind against the lake were so soothing.</p>
<p>It was perfection.</p>
<p>"Sonia wanted me to tell you that the food was almost ready, if you were ready to go in," Leon said in a sedative tone. Isabella's lips parted, as if she were ready to respond, but said nothing. Leon looked to her lips and then met her gaze again. He gently cocked an eyebrow. "...unless you're not?"</p>
<p>Isabella broke off the eye contact.</p>
<p>'<em>Why am I having trouble breathing?</em>'</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I just.." Leon removed his hands from her arms and turned his head to try and meet her gaze. He then lifted the cape, catching her attention. They met eyes again.</p>
<p>"Just checking," he said. And with a smirk, he added, "... to see if you were doing your thing again and hurting yourself." Isabella let out a genuine chuckle.</p>
<p>"No," she responded. "I just feel.. Different."</p>
<p>"Different?" Leon's honest interest was a refreshing change from Trevor's deceit.</p>
<p>Isabella nodded, turning back towards the lake. Leon took a few steps and stood next to her. "Everything is changing. We're leaving home, we're going to so many new places, meeting so many new people…" she sighed briefly. "In some cases, I guess letting people go." Leon perked up for a moment. "I don't want to leave my mom alone."</p>
<p>Isabella's voice broke for a moment, and Leon turned his head towards her with no delay. "She hasn't been alone since my dad died. I don't know if she's ready." Leon placed a firm hand on her shoulder, and a gentle one on her opposite cheek, turning her face towards him. Her emerald eyes were glistening with prepared tears, yet none had fallen. Leon could see she was holding this back.</p>
<p>"I promise you that she's ready," he insisted, stepping with caution in front of her. "She's so excited for you, you know. I heard her bragging to Margaret from the library that you were going off to be so much more than she was." Isabella smiled, laughing with a sad undertone.</p>
<p>"You and my mom are suddenly best friends, huh?"</p>
<p>Leon laughed, pulling his hands away. "We're besties. She's my top friend on PokePush, you know," he jested. Isabella laughed. He grinned at her melodious laughter. He could listen to it for hours. "She's in my profile picture. Number one mom! Well, tied for first with mine. I have a pretty cool mom." Isabella began laughing more, holding her hand to her face to cover her mouth. Leon's grin grew wider as she laughed, the rosy color growing on her cheeks.</p>
<p>"You know, she taught me how to do my Champion's pose!" he exclaimed, proceeding to demonstrate his signature spin and point to the sky. "She made me do it for <em>hours</em> because I couldn't get it right. Such a stickler!" Leon began gesturing in a chaotic manner, purposefully making himself look more and more ridiculous by the second. Isabella began to double over, and soon collapsed into the bench behind her.</p>
<p>"Stop! Stop!"</p>
<p>Leon laughed at her reaction, slamming himself down into the bench next to her. It took a few minutes for her to settle down and stop from re-erupting into another fit. Before she knew it, they were sitting leg against leg, staring out at the lake together. She gave a brief sigh and looked over at Leon, only to meet his warm eyes already looking at her. They both exchange a soft smile. "You really think she'll be okay?"</p>
<p>Leon only nodded. "As long as you are okay, she will always be okay," came his tender response. Isabella closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. As she exhaled, she could feel Leon's arm wrap around her shoulders. She opened her eyes slowly, preparing for him to startle her in some way. Instead, she met the same warm expression that she always met. "You <em>will </em>be okay," he assured. "Hop will always be with you. So will Rami and Ruby."</p>
<p>His smile widened and, if possible, became more affectionate. "And I am always one text or call away." Somehow, even with all her support, that last statement seemed to be what she needed to hear. Yet, she felt guilt. Remorse. Maybe even anxiety.</p>
<p>"Lee, I can't take you away from your responsibilities," she insisted.</p>
<p>Leon scowled playfully. "They're my responsibilities, so take them off your shoulders."</p>
<p>She eyed him with cautious intent. "You'll really be there?" He nodded. "Even if it's 3 in the morning?" He nodded again. "What if I'm lost?"</p>
<p>"I'll find a way," he said.</p>
<p>"Lee, you get lost from your childhood home to the lab," she argued. Leon frowned.</p>
<p>"When have I ever gotten lost when it's been you or Hop that needed me?"</p>
<p>Isabella sat in deep thought, eyes darting from left to right as she scanned her memories. She couldn't recall a time that he wasn't able to get to her or Hop when she needed him the most. Even since he's been home last. From finding her at her and Hop's secret spot to finding her lost in the Weald.</p>
<p>"See?"</p>
<p>"But what about your life outside of this one?" Leon tilted his head at her statement. "You have all your League friends and the people you hang out with when you're not here with us."</p>
<p>Leon smiled. "I see them all the time. They'll manage." Isabella could hear the sincerity in his tone, and it put her heart at ease. Leon eyed her with a cautious interest. He weighed the pros and cons of telling her of his confusing feelings. He knew she was understanding. She was great at listening to any issue he had, and coming up with solutions. Maybe she was feeling the same. He kept thinking back to the Weald, where their hands touched and held. Where she smiled at him. Where his heart felt it.</p>
<p>"Lee?"</p>
<p>As he snapped out of his thoughts, he could see the curiosity in her gaze. She looked so gentle wrapped in his cloak. The toasted color of the fur with the lush reds pillowed around her gentle waves of fiery amber hair looked like something out of a painting.</p>
<p>He felt obligated to tell her.</p>
<p>"Iz, I wanted to talk to you about something, but.."</p>
<p>"Hey, you two!"</p>
<p>Leon and Isabella turned to see Sonia calling out to them from the door.</p>
<p>"Come and get dinner! It's getting late!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Suspicions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shortly after finishing dinner, Professor Magnolia stepped out to retrieve the other gift in store for the two young adventurers. Leon cleared his voice at the table, catching their attention.</p><p>"You both know that, in order to do the gym challenge, you need a recommendation," he began. Hop began to bounce in his seat, and his wide smile revealed his white teeth. "I wrote you both a letter. Hop, you'll need yours to register at the League Commission before the reveal. And Izzy, yours is more for whatever you'd like to do. I made it way more broad." He slid two envelopes across the table, each labeled with their names. Hop let out an enthusiastic cheer, alerting his new friend Sobble, which caused him to immediately begin crying.</p><p>"Hop!" Isabella cried out. Hop shrunk in his chair before crawling onto the ground with Sobble and cuddling up with him, rocking back and forth to sooth the timid young Pokemon. Leon smiled with sympathy before meeting Isabella's eyes again.</p><p>"I wasn't sure if you were going to go into breeding, general care, or research. Hopefully this will help you get where you want to go once you get that figured out," he said with a nod. She took the letter with a gentle grace and nodded in return, placing it in her bag with care. As Hop rocked Sobble back into a calm state of mind, Professor Magnolia returned to the dinner table with two small packages. Isabella knew immediately what they were, as she had helped in their production. Hop's brow knit together, as he wasn't sure what was happening.</p><p>"Your gym challenge wouldn't be complete without these, of course," the professor said, smiling as she slid two small cherry red boxes across the table. Isabella stared down at the box, knowing what it held within, and made no effort to open the box. Leon watched with eager eyes as Hop scampered up to the table with Sobble in tow, placing his young friend on the table. Sobble tapped the box with cautious curiosity, flinching back as he heard the clasp jingle with a soft ting. Hop flipped the clasp open and opened the beautifully crafted box. Inside sat a small white athletic band with red and blue outlines, bearing the uniquely crystalized power module and the Galarian symbol of the League. The light in Hop's eyes lit up the room and he grinned in delight, pulling the bracelet from the box. Sobble chirped in a higher tone, reaching with a shaky paw toward the object. Hop held it to his new friend, encouraging his curiosity.</p><p>"You really mean it? We can have Dynamax Bands?!" Leon smiled at Hop's excitement. Watching his brother in his shoes so many years ago brought him joy. It was the most exciting thing for him, and he was blessed to be a part of his brother's journey.</p><p>"They're all yours," Leon replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair with a grin. Hop began giggling as he slid the bracelet over his hand as erratically as he could, desperate to have it on. Leon shook his head with a chuckle. He turned his gaze towards Isabella to see how she was reacting, only to meet her lidded gaze as she stared at the closed box in front of her. A slight frown fell upon his lips. Was it the band? Or was she still upset about her mom?</p><p>Leon's brow knit together. '<em>There's no way this isn't about Trevor</em>,' he mused.</p><p>"Iz?"</p><p>Her head snapped up, expression immediately changing from dissonance to relaxation. "Hm?"</p><p>He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Not gonna take out the band? Put it on?"</p><p>She scoffed under her breath, and slid the small box into her pack. "No, thanks." Hop's excitement immediately took a stop and he turned to his friend.</p><p>"Uh, what? Dude, what the hell? Dynamaxing is so powerful! You've seen Charizard in Leon's matches! He's incredible!" Leon smirked at his brother. Leon agreed with every word. Charizard was powerful on his own, but Gigantimaxing him took his strength to a whole new level. Isabella met Hop's gaze and shrugged. Leon immediately unfurled his arms at this.</p><p>"Hey, that's not shrug worthy!" He snapped. Isabella looked in-between the brothers, noticing the team forming against her. She pulled back in her seat a bit, and felt Rami jump into her lap.</p><p>"Aahx!"</p><p>His eyes were turned down at Leon and Hop. Isabella gave Rami a proud pat on the head for protecting her. "You guys got Rami in a fit now," she seethed. "Dynamaxing is a newer concept, and the Professor doesn't have all the answers. No one does. I'm not letting that touch my Pokemon. Not until we have more conclusive studies."</p><p>Leon stood from his chair. The velocity startled Sobble, who began to whimper. Rami, on the other hand, began to growl. "Aahx! Aahx Ax Axew!"</p><p>"Iz, we can't get more studies without actually Dynamaxing and Gigantimaxing. You need subjects to study. What better way to do that than by doing it yourself?" Isabella shook her head at Leon's response.</p><p>"My team will not be test subjects, Leon. I will not force them into it, so… no, I will not take out this band," she insisted, speaking loud over Rami's barking. "Rami, hush, sweets," came her hushed hum. Leon heaved a heavy breath, catching the professor's eyes as Rami began to rumble in the background in an attempt to calm himself. Professor Magnolia shrugged her gentle shoulders.</p><p>"She has always felt this way, Leon," she replied. "It's why she's stayed. She knows as much as I do. She's just lucky enough to still have her youth to go chasing answers like Sonia." On cue, Sonia entered the room with a skip in her step.</p><p>"She's gonna do just fine," she confirmed, nodding to her friend with a smile. "Lord knows I didn't do it as much as I could've. Might be why you won the championship and I didn't," she jested at Leon with a nudge. Leon smirked at his friend and nudged her back.</p><p>"Yeah, at least I didn't get my head stuck in the clouds," he rebuked. The table seemed to laugh at his response as Sonia began to argue with him. Isabella rolled her eyes at the two. She once thought they had been a couple in their younger years but, after watching them and hearing their stories, she was only reminded of her friendship with Hop. They were more like siblings than anything else.</p><hr/><p>As the night began to wind down, Leon, Hop, and Isabella left the Professor's house to head to their respective houses for a good night's rest. In the morning, the young trainers would leave for their journey to Motostoke. Upon approaching Wedgehurst, Isabella stopped for a moment, eyeing the bench on the far side of town where she and Trevor had their argument. Hop and Leon both paused as she froze, eyeing with ferocious curiosity.</p><p>"Iz?"</p><p>She turned towards Hop as he approached her. "C'mon, we have a long trip ahead of us. It'll take us a few days if we want to go through the Wild Area like we planned. To train up." She nodded with a listless demeanor. She didn't think seeing the bench at night would upset her this much. It made her stomach uneasy. It felt as if her stomach was swallowing her organs whole, and yet she felt completely devoid of anything in her core. All because Trevor saw a picture she happened to look at and a gift she was given?</p><p>'<em>How is it possible I missed the red flags?</em>'</p><p>She had the pieces of the bracelet with her in her bag. Perhaps she could stop by the store before they closed to get some jewelry wire and construct a makeshift bracelet until she could get to a nice store to get a new chain for it.</p><p>"Go on ahead," she urged. "I'm gonna get a few things for tomorrow." Hop gave her a knowing tilt and under his breath, said, "Izzy, what…?"</p><p>"I promise I'm fine," she smiled. She placed a warm hand on her friend's upper arm and gave him a light, affectionate squeeze. Hop returned with a reassured curl of his lips.</p><p>"Alright, if you say so." He backed away and pointed towards her, skipping backwards. "Bright and early, I'll be at your place! Gym challenge, baby!" he cheered before smacking his brother on the back.</p><p>"Race you!" But before waiting for a response, Hop took off sprinting to their house. Without a breath, Leon followed suit, shouting toward his brother and racing after him with excitement. Isabella chuckled gently before turning on her heel and walking into the general store.</p><p>It took her a few minutes to find the wire she was looking for. She paid her dues at the counter, offered gratitude toward Mr. Rob, and left the store. As she exited, her eyes couldn't help but glue themselves back to the bench. She ambled over toward the bench, but couldn't get closer than ten meters or so. She could hear the hollow echoes of his insults in her mind, feel the grip on her wrist, the numb and cold stillness creeping from her thumb to her elbow. She reached over and clasped her hands together, the bag from the market dangling on her wrist. Her hands were clammy, but warm. It was enough to ground her, for the moment.</p><p>Maybe now she was brave enough.</p><p>"Rotom?"</p><p>On cue, her Rotom phone flew up next to her with a smile.</p><p>"Can you play the voicemail I have?"</p><p>Rotom took a moment, but opened the screen to play the audio. Isabella took a breath in and slowly let it out as the voicemail began. Trevor's hollow, stern tones echoed into the crisp air.</p><p>"<em>Isabella, I swear, you need to pick up the phone when I call. How many times do I have to tell you? I just-... Ah, I just don't know what to do with you anymore. First Leon and you, that bracelet, that picture... and now this?</em>" There was a deep pause with some papers ruffling in the background. She could hear Trevor take a gulp of something, and then a glass slammed on a hard surface. "<em>I just really need to talk to you. Can you please just call me back? I'm sorry, okay? I know I yelled and I upset you. And I'm sorry. For everything, okay? Just… call me back.</em>"</p><p>Rotom popped back onto the screen with a blank expression. It's eyes seemed to drift a bit around her but then a message popped up asking if she would like to delete the voicemail. Isabella didn't even reach for it. She just stared at the bench.</p><p>"Play it again."</p><p>Rotom paused for a moment before repeating the message. She stood in the center of town, blank emerald eyes staring lifelessly at the bench. As Rotom finished, she demanded another playthrough. Isabella heard a thud from behind her. She jolted around, dropping her bag from the market, and met Leon's amber eyes. He was fixated on her phone, seeming to have dropped a large bag next to him. Charizard was behind him, as well.</p><p>"Rotom, stop!"</p><p>The message cut dead, and she snatched her phone from the air, turning away from Leon. He said nothing for a moment, and neither did she. She let her shoulders drop and finally sighed.</p><p>"How much?"</p><p>"Well… it sounded like he was drinking <em>while </em>calling you. Well, more like <em>yelling</em> at you," Leon stated, taking slow steps toward her. She could feel the figurative cogs turning in his head as he approached. "Is he.. is he the reason you weren't wearing the bracelet?"</p><p>Isabella inhaled sharply and turned toward him, and met deep concern in his partly lidded eyes. "No. I mean, well. Kind of. It's hard to explain."</p><p>"Then explain it." His eyes were firm and unwavering, holding a deeply rooted connection with hers.</p><p>Isabella noticed the demeanor change. She could see the anger in his eyes that Trevor might be the reason why she wasn't doing something he wanted, like wearing his gift. And, for a moment, it upset her. "To be honest, he was pissed when he found me after what you did at the party. He said you threatened him with Charizard," she accused, eyelids pulling taut. Leon was taken aback.</p><p>"Iz, he came after Hop for <em>your </em>guys' little marital spat before you stormed off. Was I supposed to let him go after my brother?" Leon raised his voice without the intention to do so, and Isabella pulled away from him.</p><p>"So it <em>is</em> true," she whispered. He eyed her, reading every micro facial movement. She could feel the tug on everything Trevor had ever told her about Leon, and began to question the truth to it all. "I can't believe I thought you wouldn't do that."</p><p>"Izzy," Leon pleaded, dropping his shoulders and approaching her. "Don't. Don't do that. Don't start listening to him now." She met his caramel eyes. The warmth in his citrine eyes burnt into her memories began to look increasingly unfamiliar. The concern was fading from his intense amber eyes into a hushed panic.</p><p>"I would never go after someone unless I needed to protect someone else. And I wouldn't do it out of spite," he persuaded, placing gentle hands on her upper arms. She twitched slightly, instinctively attempting to pull away. "Don't tell me you're going to believe that guy over me."</p><p>Isabella sighed, glancing at the bench. "Honestly, I don't know what to believe," she muttered. She gently pulled Leon's hands off of her shoulders and down in front of her. She attempted to release them, but Leon held on. She met his eyes once more, and the world seemed to quiet around her. "I feel like I can't trust myself."</p><p>Leon noticed her downtrodden glance. He lifted her chin with his hand, and his doleful, chestnut eyes fixated on her leafy hues. "Just because you put your trust in someone and they weren't what you thought doesn't mean you were wrong for trying to believe in them." Small beads of tears began to collect on the rims of her eyes, dancing along her thick, blackened lashes. "That's not your fault. Whatever he yelled at you for isn't your fault. Ever. Period. Okay?" Leon was forceful, yet serene, in his encouragement, and she nodded with eager compliance upon request. Immediately upon answer, Leon pulled her into a tight embrace, his arms coiling around her like hungry snakes, tangling into her ember hair and around her back. Isabella hooked her arms underneath his and latched onto his shoulders, burying her face against his chest. The scent of cedarwood and lime consumed her, radiating from his neck and chest. His heartbeat was rhythmically pounding into her ears, seeming to speed up bit by bit. She could feel her heart settle with his, and released a soft, ragged breath.</p><p>Leon tilted his chin down, placing his closed lips against the top of her head. Her hair was silk to the touch, and immersed him in a sea of cheri and orange blossom. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, pulling her closer with a soft, loving squeeze. He felt her arms tighten around his powerful back, and he let himself smile. The scent was overpowering and therapeutic, almost numbing to his senses.</p><p>"Don't ever let <em>anyone</em> make you question yourself like that," he whispered. She simply nodded in return, and Leon could feel a small wetness on his chest around her eyes. "You are with more than that <em>tosser</em> will ever see." As he stood there, holding her in his arms, he noticed her arms tightened with a shaky grasp. The bruises on her arms crossed his mind and his eyes squinted in boiling clarity.</p><p>Charizard gave Leon a soft tap on the arm and nodded in the direction of the train. It was closer to pulling into the station. Unintentionally, Leon loosened his grip and Isabella pulled away instinctively. She noticed his gaze focused on the train, then looked to his bag.</p><p>"You're heading back tonight?"</p><p>He said no words. He only met her eyes.</p><p>"You must have a lot to do before the reveal on Sunday," she mumbled, glancing to the train with a blank stare.</p><p>"I can go tomorrow," he insisted. "If you need me to stay." She smiled at his gesture, and picked up her bag from the market. The idea that he would keep to his word about being there for her felt refreshing. But it was as if, for the first time, she felt alone.</p><p>"I'll be okay, Lee." She fiddled with the loose ribbon handle of her bag before meeting his eyes. She grasped his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "Text me when you get there safe, okay?"</p><p>His eyes traveled to her wrist, eyeing the purple bruises crawling up her arm. "Iz." Her eyes met his and, for a moment, she could feel the question without him even asking. The kind of question said with a mere glance and nothing more. She released his hand and pulled back, frowning. Leon tilted his head, eyes pleading for an answer. She could see it in the gaze. He needed her to say it.</p><p>"Leon, go."</p><p>He could feel the words in his chest like a vice on the bottom of his lungs, gradually rolling up into his throat.</p><p>"You're going to miss your train."</p><p>Charizard gave Leon a harsh tap on his shoulder with a low grumble, handing him his sports bag. Leon nodded to his partner as he took the heavy bag in his own hand and turned back to Isabella. She was insistent, but could feel the thickness to the atmosphere. It was as if his running shoes were glued to the cobblestone pathway, and he couldn't move. She took a few steps closer to him and struggled to give him a genuine smile. She let out a soft breath, sensing the uneasiness in his aura.</p><p>With a forced smile, she said, "I'm fine." Leon blinked harshly, frowning at her arm. She folded her arms across her chest to regain his attention. "I'll see you in a few days, okay? Please go."</p><p>The train gave off a warning horn, and Leon nodded to her, the conflict ever present on his chiseled face. Without another word, he turned on his heel and left for the station, jogging to the doors with Charizard following close behind him. Isabella sighed, rubbing her forehead with a soft groan.</p><p>'<em>Hop better not have said anything.</em>'</p><hr/><p>As quickly as the morning came, so did the slam of Isabella's bedroom door. Jolting upright, she flung her eye mask off to meet the excitable eyes of Hop as he launched himself onto her bed at full speed, yelling, "Time to wake up!"</p><p>He collided with her and collapsed onto her bed in a huge, playful embrace, laughing hysterically. Isabella shrieked as he tumbled into the covers and pulled the two of them crashing onto the cold floor below.</p><p>"Hop! What the hell, dude!" Isabella thrashed in the covers, smacking and punching Hop in the process, to free herself from its chaotically comforting clutches. Even as she released herself from its deceivingly warm embrace, she continued to smack Hop with her open palms. "You big, dumb, stupid beast of a man!"</p><p>Isabella let out a piercing grunt as she scrambled to get feet, groaning over Hop's infectious laughter. "Come on, Izzy," he managed to cough between laughs. "It's Monday morning! It's game day! We're pioneers! Breaking new ground! Blazing a trail! Spreading our wings!" Hop threw himself to his feet, placing proud fists on his hips and puffing his chest. Isabella stood on the other side of the room, fuming with smeared mascara and disheveled hair. It was then Hop realized she was wearing nothing but a teal sports bra and orange shorts.</p><p>"Iz, show some decency. You have a guest in your room," he jested, doing his absolute best to appear disappointed in her. Isabella immediately screamed in frustration and reached for anything to throw at him, which happened to be her hairbrush. Hop jolted downward as the red brush propelled towards him, and it collided with the wall, breaking into pieces and plummeting towards the floor. Hop stopped in his charade, glancing between the brush and his friend. "Oh, you're <em>legit </em>angry."</p><p>"I'm tired, Hop!" She stormed to her bedside and grabbed her phone to check the time. She noticed a few unread text messages, but all that mattered was going back to sleep. "Hop, what the fuck? It's not even 7:30! Go the fuck to bed!" She cried out as she picked up her covers and heaved herself back into bed, flailing to wrap herself back in its warmth.</p><p>"Izzy, no!" Hop began to shove her, dodging her swats as she threw her arm over her shoulder at him.</p><p>"Hop, we have until Thursday night to get there!" She threw an incredibly heavy hand his way, feeling a tug in her shoulder as she missed her target. "Let's eat a late breakfast and leave at noon!"</p><p>"Izzy," Hop began to whine. "I want to go now. I already ate."</p><p>As Hop continued to push her around on the bed, she gave a loud grunt and sat upright. Her glossed over eyes met his anxious orbs. "Hop, I swear, if you don't leave me alone and let me sleep, I will murder you and make it look like Wooloo did it." His brow knit together, quietly assessing the sincerity behind her eyes.</p><p>"10."<br/>"Noon."<br/>"11."<br/>"<em>Noon</em>."</p><p>Hop frowned. "That's not how you negotiate," he argued.</p><p>"That's because I'm not," she sneered. Hop sighed.</p><p>"I will come wake you up at 11, and we will leave here <em>no later than noon</em>." Isabella nodded at his statement.</p><p>"Now get out or go to bed. I don't care which," she barked, throwing herself down into her pillow and tugging her eye mask back on her face. Hop glared at her covers for a moment before chuckling and heading out the door. He expected their first day together to be something like this.</p><p>Hop spent the next few hours triple checking his pack, saying goodbyes to his friends in Wedgehurst, gathering what he thought Isabella might have forgotten, and even got some Weald Apples for Rami. Sobble had hoisted himself onto Hop's shoulder, serving as his highly emotional parrot of sorts. Occasionally chirping with satisfaction at certain colors and objects he seemed to like, Sobble seemed to settle in nicely with his new partner. Hop spent the time waiting for Isabella to wake up showing Sobble his childhood home, his favorite places, favorite snacks, favorite books… Sobble loved the lake by the Professor's house. He enjoyed seeing the ocean from their peak in the backwoods. He also had a strong obsession with anything remotely spicy. Hop explained their future journey together with Wooloo at his side. He explained the challenges they would face, the powerful opponents, the exciting adventures, and the fact they get to do all of it with Isabella and her Pokemon. Wooloo cheered with enthusiasm. Sobble eyed Wooloo, responding with a similar reaction. Hop smiled at his new friend. Sobble definitely seemed anxious. He was constantly tapping his hands together. His eyes were always darting from place to place, and his reactions seemed to mimic those of the Pokemon and people around him. Hop hoped this journey would help Sobble learn to be more confident in his own emotions and beliefs.</p><p>As eleven in the morning approached, Isabella stirred in her bed. She knew Hop would undoubtedly show up early with the excuse that he was 'close enough to being on time' so she decided to rise beforehand to prevent herself from having some unneeded stress. With some quick morning stretches, Isabella adorned her baggy, pastel green cargo pants, her loose sunset orange tank top featuring an adorable, stylized Flygon drawing, and various bracelets and bangles to match. Her bruises were beginning to fade into a deep violet color. While intense, she knew this meant healing was well underway. Thanks to the light pink undertones in her skin, it would be much easier to hide under waterproof primer and foundation. With careful touch-up work, she was able to conceal the galaxy colored markings and mostly blend it into her skin. As she continued her makeup on her neck to hide the light bruising around her jawline, she applied gentle purple hues to her eyelids and deepened the onyx tint of her lashes, accentuating her feminine curves and intensifying her emerald eyes. She shoved all of her favorite makeup into her travel pack and made a mental note to buy herself a new hairbrush. She mused that she would just take Hop's in the meantime as satisfaction for their scuffle.</p><p>Double checking the time on her phone, she took note of the unread texts again. As it was approaching late morning, it seemed only appropriate to her to respond. Five texts from Trevor. Two from Leon. Three from Hop. One from Sonia. Surprisingly, one from Eleanora, as well.</p><p>Isabella opened Hop's messages first, letting out a harsh breath.</p><p>
  <em>6:14am: IZ. IT IS TIME. :D</em>
</p><p>
  <em>6:32am: I already showered, ate, and packed. I should probably calm my tits. &gt;_&gt;</em>
</p><p>
  <em>6:33am: Except I don't have any. O_O</em>
</p><p>Isabella let out a soft chuckle, sending a quick message back: <em>You need to calm your tits for the BOTH of us. </em></p><p>She backed out of Hop's conversation and moved to Eleanora.</p><p>
  <em>8:58am: Good morning, love. I'm sorry if Hop woke you up. Leon did the same thing to Sonia. That's why he doesn't see her in the AM anymore LOL! I packed a snack for you in Hop's backpack. I'll send you the pictures from the party this week once I edit them. Keep my boys in line! XOXO</em>
</p><p>Isabella smiled as she read through the message. As she sat on the edge of her bed, she paused for a moment, fiddling her thumbs. <em>I appreciate it! He did wake me up but he won't be doing that again! Looking forward to seeing the pictures! It was a lot of fun! I'll make sure to take a bunch and send them your way as we go! Love you bunches!</em></p><p>She moved down the list to Sonia.</p><p>
  <em>9:45am: hey Hop ran by tryin to grab that book about the fruit and veggies in the wild area. I thought you still had it tho? I don't see it here but I'll send a digital copy to your email. Remember, no yellow fruit for Wooloo unless you want him to get the shits again lmfao have fun xoxo</em>
</p><p>Isabella rolled her eyes at the memory before replying: <em>Will do. Had no idea he was looking for that book. I lent it to Eleanora so he probably walked right by it. Dandel boys, amirite? I'll make sure to post stuff on PokePush so check every so often :)</em></p><p>Exiting the conversation, she only had Trevor and Leon left to check. A text from Hop came in as she was debating between which one to click. However, she ignored Hop for the time being. With a sigh, she clicked Trevor's name first.</p><p>
  <em>2:13am: Isabella, I really need to talk to you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:16am: Are you asleep?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:17am: You better not be with Leon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>3:10am: I got word he made it to Motostoke around two. So I guess you weren't with him. At least not since 10 or so.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>10:06am: Iz, you haven't answered me yet and it's really starting to get to me. Do I have to come back out there?</em>
</p><p>Isabella's hands were softly shaking and damp, reading the messages. However, she took no pause in replying: <em>Do not come out to Postwick. I am not there anymore, and I've told everyone to not talk to you about me. Leave me alone.</em></p><p>She took a moment after sending the message to send another, fueled by courage: <em>You've done enough, Trevor. And I'm done, too. We are not a couple anymore and I don't want to talk to you or see you ever again. </em>As she sent the message, she navigated to the settings for Trevor's contact page and hit the block button. The conversation greyed out, locking the keyboard on the conversation screen. Letting out a shaky breath, Isabella backed out and went into the last conversation.</p><p>Leon.</p><p>
  <em>2:23am: Hey Iz. Just letting you know we made it to Motostoke. Looks like it might be a little rainy in the afternoon in the Rolling Fields tomorrow so take a jacket, okay? Chris is waiting for me at the hotel. Probably to chew my ear off for getting in so late… You think I can get away with firing him for a few hours? Just so I can get some sleep at least. :(</em>
</p><p>
  <em>10:34am: Based on the ten million bajillion texts I got from Hop at six in the morning, I can safely assume he's not only woken you up but put you in a sour mood. Remember to breathe and sneak some Nanab berries in his food before he goes to sleep so you can get some peace and quiet. ;) I get to sit in a bunch of pointless meetings today so I hope you have extra fun for me and Charizard. Be safe. I'll see you in a few days!</em>
</p><p>Isabella grinned from ear to ear, one hand gently brushing her nails against her bottom lip, as she read the two messages. Leon always wrote long messages. With trembling fingers, she replied: <em>I'll make sure to bring a coat, just in case. I'll make sure dumdum does, too. Thanks. :) Hope you got some sleep. And hopefully the meetings won't be too boring. Interject some crazy ideas, even if they don't make sense! At least it'll get them talking instead of pushing paper! </em>She contemplated the tone of the rest of the message, biting the inner corner of her mouth as her thumbs hovered over the touchpad. <em>Hop did put me in a sour mood around 7:30 but reading your messages helped.</em></p><p>'<em>No, that's weird,</em>' she mused.</p><p>
  <em>Hop rudely woke me up but at least one of the Dandel boys is thoughtful. :)</em>
</p><p>Isabella cringed. '<em>Why is this so hard all of the sudden?</em>' She deleted the last part of the message once more. Maybe it was better to just be as neutral as possible.</p><p>
  <em>Hop is always an ass but he gets to be since he's wearing the best friend belt.</em>
</p><p>'<em>Better…</em>' she reflected.</p><p>As she sent the message, she checked it over once more and then added: <em>Thanks for checking in, though! It means a lot.</em></p><p>"That's not weird… right? He shouldn't think that's weird," Isabella mumbled to herself as she watched the check mark appear, showing the message sent and was received. She backed out of the conversation to view Hop's new message.</p><p>
  <em>10:48am: i will fuk u up iz</em>
</p><p>Isabella laughed loudly, covering her mouth as she read the text. Within seconds, she furiously replied: <em>fite me, u ducky hat havin ass</em></p><p>Her door swung wide open to reveal a scowling Hop, phone in hand.</p><p>"My mom makes <em>you</em> wear them, too, you turd!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Remember to send me pictures every so often, okay?"</p><p>Isabella smiled at her mother's soft eyes, pulling her into a warm embrace.</p><p>"Always."</p><p>"And be smart. Be wary of strangers. But make friends. Be cautious at night." Isabella rolled her eyes softly and chuckled, pulling away from her mother.</p><p>"It'll be okay, mom."</p><p>"And let me know if you ever need me to transfer any more funds over," Lisbeth continued. "You should be set for a long time but you still have all of what your father put away. I just need to contact JFS Bank to transfer anything you need." Isabella placed a comforting but stern hand on her mother's shoulder.</p><p>"I'm alright, mom," she insisted. "There's almost fifty thousand in there. That'll cover any expenses I have, or Hop has, for at least half of this trip. And I'm not going to be careless." Isabella met Hop's eyes and they exchanged a nod.</p><p>"Dad worked hard so we would be okay. I'm not spending anything I don't need to," she said. Lisbeth nodded.</p><p>"You don't need to be frugal, honey," she said. "Just be careful. Buy new clothes, good ingredients, gifts for your friends. Just keep an eye on your funds and let me know if you need anything." Lisbeth hugged her daughter once more. "He would be so proud of you for going out like this. Especially with Hop." As she pulled away, she limped over to Hop and forced him into a hug. He chuckled and hugged her back.</p><p>"He would've liked you and your brother," she said softly, voice tugging at gentle cracks. Hop gave her a gentle squeeze and then laughed, pulling back from her.</p><p>"He probably would've argued a lot with Leon on how to raise his Charizard, to be honest," Hop smirked. Lisbeth laughed harshly, tapping the corners of her eyes to hide the small tears that had gathered.</p><p>"You're right," she chuckled. "Such a stickler for his fire types. And yet Isabella grew up fascinated by dragons." Isabella smiled and chuckled, glancing down at her eager young dragon. He was petting Wooloo's fur as gentle as he could. She was happy to see him enjoying himself.</p><p>"Maybe on our trip, I'll find a dragon and fire type. Best of both worlds," she mused. Meeting her mother's eyes once more, she grasped her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "We have a lot of last minute goodbyes, momma. I'll call you tonight, okay?"</p><p>Lizbeth nodded with a smile. "Just make sure to have lots of fun. Don't feel you need to check in all the time," she insisted. "I want you both to explore everything you can. Try new things."</p><p>Isabella's brow raised in realization. "Oh! Also, mom… I blocked Trevor." Hop perked up, stepping forward. "He was messaging me a lot and… I just…" Isabella caught Hop's glance, her eyes revealing a knowing message. He merely gave a slight nod.</p><p>"He was going to come out here because I wouldn't respond," she said. "So I told him not to. That no one wanted to see him and that I told everyone to never speak to him about me or us again."</p><p>Lisbeth grinned without a second's notice. "I will spread the word." She gave her daughter's hands a squeeze. "Now go make memories."</p><hr/><p>As the pair of childhood friends left Postwick on the horizon, they gave their hugs and heartfelt thanks and farewells to all of their compatriots. It wasn't long until they were seated on the train destined for the Wild Area. Hop could barely contain his excitement. Sobble eyed his new friend as he bounced in his seat, rhythmically smacking the table between himself and his friend with open palms. Isabella grinned at his excitement and began to rap the table with him, attempting to steer him into a beat. They shared a toothy grin and continued their rhythm, humming a melodic tune and swaying in their seats. Sobble began to chirp with confusion, tripping and climbing out of his seat and onto the table. Rami followed suit and gave Sobble a rap on the shoulder as if to say, "Don't worry; they do this all the time."</p><p>As they reached the end of their melody, Hop chuckled. "We're doing it, Iz," he exclaimed. "We're finally doing it. We're leaving home." She grinned and nodded.</p><p>"Just you and me, Hop," she agreed. "I thought I would be more anxious about this, but honestly?" She met Rami's eager eyes, glistening at her from the table, then met Hop's eyes. "I cannot wait to watch you make it all the way to the championship match."</p><p>His amber eyes softened, and his lips curled gently. "I couldn't think of anyone else I'd have by my side," he smiled, giving her soft hand a gentle squeeze. Isabella grinned at her friend, squeezing back. At that moment, her phone buzzed against the table. Her brow tugged upward, and she released Hop's hand to check her message. Her brow raised in pleasant surprise when she read the name. Leon.</p><p>
  <em>12:43pm: In that case, I'm glad I helped make your day a little better. I would try to do something a little off the wall during these meetings but, uh.. Chris is pretty good at doing that himself. He hates these meetings more because I make him come with me. If I have to suffer, so should he, right? Or is that cruel? He does make them interesting, at least. But not enough to get us kicked out, sadly. :(</em>
</p><p>She chuckled under her breath, eyes glancing at Hop. Hop was showing Sobble something on his phone, to which Sobble seemed to be nodding with a blank stare. He didn't seem to understand the phone very much.</p><p>Isabella began typing her reply. <em>You tend to do that fairly easily. Ten years will do that, huh? How can Chris do something off the wall and not get kicked out? We're talking about the same Chris, right? This is the one that mooned the chainman on a drunken dare?</em></p><p>As she sent the message, Rami plopped down on the table next to her arm. He sniffed her bruises with cautious curiosity before nodding with a firm "Aahx" as if making an assessment.</p><p>"Does it look like it's healing, Doctor Rami?" Hop asked with a firm tone. Rami turned his head with a soft wave of his hand. He nodded sharply.</p><p>"Axew Ax."</p><p>The pair laughed as Rami furrowed his brow, scowling at them individually. Isabella's phone vibrated against the table once more. She picked up the device with haste, opening her messages.</p><p>
  <em>12:46pm: I can't believe it's been so long. I still feel like we're kids sometimes. Do you remember when we hid from Hop in the fields outside of Postwick? I can't believe that was almost seven years ago. I was your age. Jeez, now I feel old. And yes, THAT Chris. Here. I'll send you a video.</em>
</p><p>Isabella smiled at her phone. She did remember that night. It was nighttime. Leon was coming home right before the championship match to bring them all tickets. Hop kept bugging him about teaching him everything he had learned, and Leon wanted a break from the gym challenge. So they ran and hid in the fields. They ended up talking about his favorite memories from the trip, like the foods he liked and the places he wanted to go back to. Isabella shook her head gently. They must have been in those fields for hours. It almost feels like a fever dream. It was one of their few things they did together without Hop.</p><p>Her phone chimed as the video came through. It was a shorter video. The time was less than 20 seconds. She pushed the play button.</p><p>Leon was taking a video with the front facing camera. He was barely on screen. There was loud, frantic talking in the background. It sounded like gibberish. Leon spun slowly in his chair with the camera facing him, a small smirk on his face. He appeared to be trying to hide the camera. As he turned with the table in the background, she could see several people in suits staring with disdain at Chris, who appeared to be standing at the front of the table, gesturing widely. He began to talk about how dynamaxing was a hoax used to convince the public not to explore the theory that Pokemon were always that size and humans have shrunk them in size by breeding. Leon's brow knit together, his smirk widening in amusement, before he gave the camera a thumbs up and nodded at Chris's theory. The video cut at that point. Isabella laughed, covering her mouth. Hop looked at her.</p><p>"What's so funny?" He asked, eyeing her phone with interest. Isabella handed her phone to her best friend, allowing him to watch. As Hop played the video, he laughed out loud as Chris popped onto the screen, and even harder when Chris began explaining his theory.</p><p>"Wait, wait. Iz, let's recreate the video and send it back to him," he laughed. Isabella began laughing at Hop and, without a word, opened her camera application. It took them a few tries to get the angles perfect, but recreated the moment with ease. Hop, rather than repeating the theory about dynamaxing, began to explain why people like pumpkin pie more than pumpkin to Sobble, knowing it would annoy his brother as Leon enjoyed pumpkin in things better than the pie.</p><p>"Tell me what he says," Hop managed to choke out before returning back to his task on his phone. Isabella began to type her reply.</p><p>
  <em>We have a lot of great memories together. That's one of my favorites. We've never really spent much time together without Hop, if you think about it. I'm not sure why not. Chris is ridiculous. I'm surprised they haven't, at least, tried to shut him up. I hope your meeting is almost done. We actually had one too. I'll send you the video.</em>
</p><p>Isabella attached the video and sent the message, smiling from ear to ear. Hop glanced up at her from his phone, eyeing her expression with cautious intent. She seemed jubilant. Almost giddy. He hadn't seen her like that in awhile. Hop locked his phone and placed it face down.</p><p>"Hey, Iz," he began. She looked up at her friend, her smile fading gently into relaxation.</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>"You're… <em>officially </em>broken up with Trevor now, right?"</p><p>Her eyes squinted ever so slightly. "Yeah…" Her response was guarded, and she set down her phone on the table. "Why?"</p><p>"It just… I don't know," he mumbled. "I'm glad that guy's gone, at least. Honestly. No one really liked him."</p><p>Isabella chuckled. "So it would seem."</p><p>Hop let out a breath and smiled. "I wanna make a pact with you," he said with a firm tone. Isabella's brow raised.</p><p>"A pact?"</p><p>"Mhm." He interlocked his fingers and placed his hands in front of him. "No matter what happens on our trip, we never put <em>anyone</em> above each other," he stated. "At the end of the day, it's you and me. And always will be. Boyfriends and girlfriends and new friends will come and go. But you and I?"</p><p>"We're best friends," Isabella interjected, smiling back at her friend. He nodded with a grin.</p><p>"We are. We'll always have each other."</p><p>"No matter what," she agreed. Isabella's phone buzzed against the table. However, she merely gave it a glance and turned back to Hop. "I promise. No one comes before you." She held up her hand, extending her pinky. Hop chuckled and interlocked his pinky finger with hers.</p><p>The train began to vibrate and, soon after, began to roll West towards the Wild Area. Hop grinned and cheered with excitement, startling Sobble into a whimpering mess. Isabella laughed at her friend as he cradled his Pokemon in his arms before picking up her phone and opening her camera app, asking her Rotom to take a photo of their first memory - leaving home.</p><p>They took a few photos together before agreeing on one they liked before Isabella posted the photo to her social media account on PokePush.</p><p>
  <em>Striking out on our own! Gym Challenge: here we come!</em>
</p><p>After posting the photo, she opened her messages again to read Leon's reply.</p><p>
  <em>1:03pm: Oh my god, I will punch Hop the next time I see him lmao. But you are right. We haven't really had much time together outside of a few conversations. Maybe we can change that since you and Hop are traveling. I can meet you in the different cities you go to. I can finally show you those crepes I was talking about in Circhester! The meeting is finally over but we only get about 30 minutes before the next one. :/</em>
</p><p>Isabella smiled as she read the message. It would be nice to see Leon during their journey. Rami would enjoy it, too. He looked to Charizard as a teacher of sorts. It would be good to help train Rami and let him show Charizard everything he learns on the trip.</p><p>
  <em>That would be great! I'd love to see you more. Rami would love to see you, too. He misses you when you're gone. I wish we could save you from your meetings.</em>
</p><p>Isabella stared at her message before she sent it, wondering about testing the boundaries. It was rare for them to hold a conversation like this through text. Usually, they were just sending each other info they asked for at one point or another. Or sharing a picture or two.</p><p>She added onto her message: <em>What would you rather be doing instead?</em></p><p>As she sent the message, she opened up Leon's contact information. Next to his phone number, she had the photo from his League Card. Isabella bit the inner corner of her mouth and began to look through her photos for a better picture for him. It took her a few minutes to find the picture of her, him, and Rami at the Professor's lake that she loved. As she updated the photo to her favorite photo, she was asked by her phone to select the area for the contact photo. Her phone corrected the circle directly to Leon's face. As she was about to press save, she eyed it once more and expanded the circle to include her and Rami. Isabella smiled at the photo.</p><p>'<em>It would be nice to see this picture more often</em>,' she mused. Isabella pressed save and the photo updated on Leon's contact information.</p><p>Another message came buzzing in.</p><p>
  <em>1:14pm: I miss you two already. Rami is going to be big and strong one day. He's a wonderful companion. And honestly? I'd much rather be on the road. Maybe trying to find new trainers to battle with. Not that I don't like the guy, but I'm getting sick of seeing Chris's face everywhere I go. I know that's his job but… idk. It would be nice to be around someone else for a change.</em>
</p><p>Isabella was feeling a lightness in her fingers. It was as if tingling shocks were being sent from her chest down through the tips of her fingers and back up to her face. It felt as though there was a static charge shooting through her body as she read the message. She reread it. <em>I miss you two already… It would be nice to be around someone else…</em></p><p>Could he mean her?</p><p>Her fingers trembled against her phone briefly before she began to think clearly. She wasn't quite sure how to respond. If he meant her, he didn't say it explicitly. Maybe she was reading into it. She shook her head as if to discard the thoughts like a Magic 8 Ball.</p><p>She began to reply: <em>I can imagine. Being stuck inside when you could be doing what you love… That can't be easy. </em>Her thumbs fiddled against the keyboard, tapping rhythmically without pressing any additional keys. Isabella bit the inner corner of her lips. <em>You're always welcome to come find a safe haven with us. I'm sure Hop would be happy to see his big brother more. He really looks up to you.</em></p><p>Isabella's palms were damp. She let out a soft, shaky breath. <em>Plus, you always tend to make things way more fun. </em>Isabella cringed gently before forcing her finger onto the send button. As she watched the message transfer from the typing box to the conversation, she panicked and attempted to turn on her airplane mode to cancel the message. However, she wasn't quick enough.</p><p>She locked her phone and slammed it face down onto the table. Hop snapped his gaze to her, jumping at the noise. He raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>"My.. phone wasn't sending a message. I just got a little irritated," she lied.</p><p>"Want me to take a look?" Hop asked, reaching toward her phone. Isabella snatched the phone from the table before Hop could grasp it.</p><p>"No, it's okay. It's restarting," she said, her tone guarded and unsteady. Hop curled his lip into a skeptical smirk before chuckling at her.</p><p>"You better not be this weird the whole trip, Iz," he jested. "My mom's already going to be texting me every day. I don't need two dramatic women in my life."</p><p>Isabella stifled a chuckle. "You have four. Don't forget my mom and Sonia!" Isabella's phone buzzed in her hand quicker than she expected, and she took in a sharp breath, feeling the anxiety brewing in her chest. Hop rolled his eyes with a groan before leaning back in his seat, looking out of the window.</p><p>"At least, I have Sobble and Wooloo," he chuckled, giving Sobble a soft pat on the head. Sobble closed his eyes with a warm chirp, settling into Hop's arms.</p><p>Isabella turned her attention to her phone screen, smiling for a moment as Leon's new contact photo appeared on her screen.</p><p>
  <em>1:20pm: Do I…? Hmm. It's a tempting offer, for sure. I'm sure I'll find some time to sneak away and see you all. Besides, I made you a promise, didn't I? I wouldn't be a gentleman if I let you down like that.</em>
</p><p>As Isabella read the message, another came through from Leon.</p><p>
  <em>1:21pm: Besides, it would be pretty fun for us to hide from Hop again. Except you can spill all the details this time.</em>
</p><p>She couldn't contain the grin on her face from exploding, and did her best to pretend she had an itch to push down the giddiness building in her face and chest. She kicked her feet in a flutter to release some of the energy. As she reread the message, the confusion set in. He mentioned sneaking away to see them all, including Hop. But then he mentions hiding from Hop. He even brought up the promise he made to be there for her no matter what. There must be a way to get him to be clear without implying anything. Or insinuating that she possibly wanted more. She wasn't even sure. And she was sure Hop wouldn't be okay with them ever dating. They had flirted before, but as a joke. It was always over-the-top cinema style flirting and always done around other people. They had never spoken like this in private. Especially not through any kind of messaging format that could be read by someone else.</p><p>But these feelings she felt just from receiving a text from him… This wasn't friend behavior. This was more.</p><p>
  <em>Sneaking away and hiding from Hop…? Sounds like fun! But don't you think he might get the wrong idea? We're not kids anymore.</em>
</p><p>She sent the text without adding anything additional. She didn't want him to have anything else to go on and to force him to be straightforward. She watched the screen intently, rubbing the edges of her fingernails across her bottom lip. The seconds felt like hours as she waited. Minutes passed.</p><p>Finally, a buzz.</p><p>
  <em>1:28pm: Would it be the worst if he did?</em>
</p><p>It was as if the world stopped. <em>Would it be the worst if he did?</em> There was no room for interpretation, surely. She reread the message over and over again. That had to mean something…</p><p>She stared at her screen, thumbs hovering above the keypad but immobile. She wanted desperately to be able to send anything back, but words escaped her.</p><p>Another buzz.</p><p>
  <em>1:30pm: Got another meeting now… If I know you well enough, you're probably gonna stew about that for a bit. Have fun. I'll talk to you after. ;)</em>
</p><p>"Oh, what an ass," she mumbled.</p><p>
  <em>Sometimes, I just really don't like you.</em>
</p><p>After she sent that message, she sent another.</p><p>
  <em>I hope your meeting is long and boring and they ask you lots of questions. _</em>
</p><p>Isabella groaned, setting her phone down. Before she could remove her hand, it buzzed. She snatched it from the table and read the reply from Leon.</p><p>
  <em>1:31pm: See, that's just not nice. :( At least my thing was cute.</em>
</p><p>Isabella fought the smile emerging from her chest, failing miserably. She coughed softly to hide the giggle that involuntarily choked out. '<em>He's talking so differently to me… Maybe I should test it?</em>'</p><p>
  <em>Cute suits you pretty well.</em>
</p><p>Isabella began to chew on her lip. '<em>Should I send a winky face, too? Or is that too flirtatious? What if he thinks I'm only acting this way because Trevor is gone…?</em>'</p><p>Isabella deleted the message. She began bouncing her knee up and down while ruminating the thoughts in her head.</p><p>
  <em>Cute looks good on you. ;)</em>
</p><p>She stared at the message, wondering if that was pushing the feeling too much on him. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable, and she didn't want to make Hop feel weird if they were being flirtatious. Isabella glanced at Hop. He was pointing to different trees and creeks for Sobble to see as the train flew by. It brought a small smile to her face.</p><p>It was just harmless flirting, right?</p><p>She sent the message, watching as the check mark appeared. It only took a few moments for the reply to come in.</p><p>
  <em>1:34pm: Does it? I should wear it more often, then.<br/>1:34pm: If I didn't know any better, I'd say you might be flirting a little there, Iz...</em>
</p><p>Giggling at the reply, Isabella bit her lower lip and smiled at her phone. Hop caught notice, and straightened in his booth.</p><p>"Did he reply?" he asked. Isabella jumped at his voice, and met his eyes.</p><p>"Huh?" Hops brow raised at her question. "Oh! Right. Yeah, he said he was going to punch you the next time he sees you." Hop chuckled at her response.</p><p>"Oh, he'll <em>try</em>, I'm sure." Hop pulled out his phone and began to type on the screen. Isabella could only assume he was messaging Leon. She looked back down to her phone, beaming.</p><p>
  <em>Would it be the worst if I was…?</em>
</p><p>As soon as she sent the reply, she could feel the heat on her cheeks and forehead, adrenaline pumping through her body. The last time she felt this anxious was when she first met Trevor. Isabella couldn't believe that she ever had a reaction like this to him. It was such a strange feeling, thinking of Trevor and not feeling anything but anxiety now. He used to occupy her mind from sunrise until sunset.</p><p>As she sat there, anxiously awaiting a reply, she peered out the window. The Wild Area was in the distance but incredibly visible. The sun was peeking through thick, darkened clouds and the scent of rain filled her nose. Leon was right. The rain might be an hour or two ahead in their future. The train ride itself was only about an hour and a half. Before they knew it, they would be at their destination.</p><p>Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she nearly dropped it as she scrambled to unlock and view the message.</p><p>
  <em>1:38pm: Only if you stopped…</em>
</p><p>She could feel her heart seize and the heat on her cheeks shot through her body down to her legs. A mixture of emotions flooded her chest. The thought that Leon might feel that way, and the sudden panic that there might be something there to pursue, was too much. He's seen her at her worst and been there when she was awkward and confused. He listened to her talk about Trevor and watched her fall for him. How could this be real?</p><p>Isabella bit her inner lip once more.</p><p>Was he just joking? Was it some elaborate prank he and Hop were pulling on her?</p><p>Her brow furrowed as she let the thoughts consume her. She set her phone down on the table and pulled Rami into her arms, feeling a desire for companionship and warmth. He released a pleasant murmur as he settled into her lap. Isabella gave Rami a soft pat on his head and looked to Hop. Hop felt her stare on the side of his head and turned to meet her eyes. A genuine smile rose from his lips.</p><p>Suddenly, the feelings of anxiety began to ebb away.</p><p>'<em>Hop and Leon wouldn't do that</em>,' she mused. '<em>They're not like Trevor.</em>' As she glanced at her phone facing upside down, she sighed and slid the phone into her hand. As she stared at his last message, she began to wonder if it was even smart to pursue in the first place.</p><p>Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she watched as another message from Leon popped up, followed by a few more.</p><p>
  <em>1:49pm: Not that that would be the only reason I would talk to you.<br/>1:49pm: Or that I wouldn't talk to you if you weren't.<br/>1:50pm: It's just a side of you I didn't expect.<br/>1:50pm: Not that you WOULDN'T have a side like this.<br/>1:50pm: Or be that way with anyone. Especially me.<br/>1:50pm: Someone should take my phone away.<br/>1:50pm: I'll stop talking now.<br/>1:50pm: Okay. Yeah. That's probably the smartest thing I could've said.</em>
</p><p>Isabella chuckled in her seat and quickly typed a reply.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe it's my turn to let you stew now. ;) Go ahead and focus on your meeting. Text me whenever you're free.</em>
</p><p>Isabella heaved a content sigh before placing her phone down. The train ride to the Wild Area was smooth. Hop and Isabella talked about all of the places they were excited to visit, like the different restaurants and the various shops around Galar. Isabella was most excited for meeting all new kinds of trainers and making new friends. She couldn't wait to meet more Pokemon, catch new types, and take in the scenery.</p><p>As the train pulled into the station, Isabella could hear the gentle rapping of rain against the ground. The pleasant scent of the rain mixed with the floral aromas waiting outside of the train station washed over the pair of friends. While Isabella grinned at the feeling, Hop groaned.</p><p>"I can't believe it's raining on our first day out," he sighed, shoulders slumping as they exited the train station. Isabella chuckled slightly, patting Hop on the shoulder.</p><p>"Rain on a big day is always good luck," she smiled. Isabella slipped her Rotom phone into its water resistant case before charging out into the rain, swinging her arms out and spinning. The rain immediately began to soak her hair and clothes, but she continued to spin further out in the open. Rotom lifted up in the air, taking pictures of her and Hop. Hop raised his brow at her, glancing down at Rami. Rami let out an excitable chirp before running after her, bouncing in puddles as they collected.</p><p>"Come on, Hop!" She shouted into the covered train station. "I thought we were pioneers!" She stood facing him, hands on her hips, before gesturing widely.</p><p>"Get over here and dance with me!" Hop chuckled gently before placing his Rotom phone in it's protective case as well. As Isabella watched, she began to cheer and laugh as Hop threw his pack on the ground and ran after her. As the rain came down harder, they started kicking water from the puddles at each other and began a rough game of tag as they chased around the fields. Rami stayed with Sobble on the side, encouraging him to play in the puddles with him. Bit by bit, Sobble began to open up, splashing in the water a bit before he and Rami began to belly flop into the collected water.</p><p>Isabella sighed a breath of relief at the rain as it cooled her skin and relaxed her muscles. She felt she could think better and more clearly when it rained. It was almost as if the smells and the constant rhythm of the rain hitting the ground kept her mind focused. It helped keep any negative thoughts out of her mind, as she never felt more at peace than she did in the rain.</p><p>Isabella stopped spinning and jumping, and she took a moment to walk towards the hill down into the Wild Area. The trees approaching on the horizon were making soft, fluttery noises as the wind and rain made them dance. Hop jogged to her side and took in the view with a deep breath. A genuine smile fell on his lips, and he turned his head to face his best friend. And for a brief moment, their hearts fell in sync and felt a collective peace wash over them, as if the start of their grand adventure was finally happening. The adventure they always talked about going on.</p><p>It was here.</p><p>"Let's do this, Iz."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Beginnings (Leon POV)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This was a reviewer request from FFN asking if CH7 could be written from Leon's POV and it turned out to be my largest chapter at almost 7k words looooool.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leon gave a scratchy yawn and deep stretch, leaning back in his chair. The clock on the far wall of the conference room read 7:40 am, and he could feel the exhaustion screaming in his body. He placed his elbows on the table before slamming his eyes into his hands, groaning nonsense.</p><p>"It's your own fault," Chris sighed, taking a swig from his Miltank coffee cup. Leon snapped his head up and his reddened eyes glowered at his friend before taking a drink of his own coffee in a much less exciting coffee mug. "You should've just taken the 8:15 last night."</p><p>"I had to take care of some things," Leon said, setting his mug down on its coaster. Chris tilted his head dismissively, arching an eyebrow, as he lowered his mug to show his skepticism. Before Chris could speak, Leon caught his train of thought. "No."</p><p>"I'm just saying-"</p><p>"No, Chris." Chris gave a small smirk, picking his mug back up.</p><p>"Maybe you-"</p><p>"Christopher, if you finish that thought, I'll…" Leon snarled at his friend, quietly giving a greeting to League board members as they began to help themselves to the doughnuts and coffee on the far counter. Chris, however, began to chuckle, taking another drink.</p><p>"You'll what?"</p><p>Leon held a stare with Chris's intense emerald eyes before shaking his head. "I'll be incredibly disappointed in you."</p><p>"Maybe you should just text her."</p><p>"I'm incredibly disappointed in you." Chris belted a laugh, startling some of the executives beginning to enter the conference room. Leon offered a quiet apology for Chris's behavior, as usual, to those shaking their heads. "We don't text. Not that often."</p><p>Chris slammed a hand on the table causing Leon and a few others to grimace at the loud sound. "That's not an excuse, dude." Leon rolled his eyes, sitting back in his chair. "You said they broke up. What's the harm?"</p><p>"I'm not that guy," Leon said, lowering the volume of his voice. "She needs time. And guy's a psychopath. I need to make sure he's not going to go postal on anyone." Leon began to look around the room to gauge how much time they had. Most of the executives were quietly talking around the coffee area. They likely wouldn't start for another ten minutes.</p><p>"If you're not going to text her, I will," Chris threatened with raised brows. Leon's eyes snapped to his, a soft glare quietly assessing his bluff.</p><p>"You won't," Leon scoffed. "She wouldn't go for you."</p><p>"I can be charming," Chris shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "And who knows. She's going to be turned off to guys like Trevor. Who says she won't go for the older guy that has connections?" Leon glanced between his eyes, squinting harshly to judge his resolve. Chris felt the tension and smirked, kicking his feet up onto the conference table while pulling out his phone.</p><p>Leon's hand slammed into his friend's sneakers, kicking his feet back to the ground. "Fine," Leon hissed. "And stop making a damn fool of yourself. Any one of these execs could get you fired. Have some respect."</p><p>Chris chuckled before taking another drink as Leon pulled out his phone. "You wouldn't let them. You love me too much."</p><p>"And a little less each day," Leon jested, elbowing his friend in the arm. He shared a chuckle with Chris before pulling up his messages. His brow raised in surprise at his unread messages.</p><p>32 messages.</p><p>"Who the fuck…?" Leon mumbled before unlocking his device. Chris, glancing at his friend, saw the confusion and leaned over to see what got him stirred. Chris immediately began to laugh.</p><p>"They're all Hop," Leon scoffed, scrolling on his phone. "He hasn't been this excited since his first trip to Wyndon."</p><p>As he began to read them, most were with misspelled enthusiasm.</p><p>
  <em>TODAT'S THE DAY<br/>
I SHOWERED<br/>
MOM MAFE BACON<br/>
What else should I pack?<br/>
I can't beliefe it's finally timE<br/>
I'M GONNA GO GET IZ<br/>
I don't think she's up.<br/>
I WOKE HER MOM</em>
</p><p>Leon shook his head, offering a small chuckle and then a sigh as he came to the last text.</p><p>
  <em>She was definitely not happy.</em>
</p><p>Leon met Chris's eyes. "Hop woke up before I did today, and pissed her off already."</p><p>Chris furrowed his brow in confusion, a disbelieving tilt to his head "How?" Leon laughed softly at his question.</p><p>"She's typically not awake before 10, and she hates people waking her up."</p><p>Chris's lips pulled thin. "Mm, probably best to wait." Leon nodded, stopping when Chris's hand came up in a pointed warning. "But! You <em>will </em>text her after our 10 o'clock." Leon rolled his eyes and nodded.</p><p>"Yes, <em>dad</em>," came his irritated response. Chris offered a chuckle, "That's my boy." Leon shook his head with a small smile and pulled up his phone to respond to his brother.</p><p>
  <em>Hop. She's your best friend. How is it that you still wake her up knowing she's going to be pissed.</em>
</p><p>Leon sent the message and then glanced around the room. People were beginning to take their seats at the table, and open various folders. Leon shot Chris a look.</p><p>"Are we supposed to have a folder?" Chris shot a curious look to Leon before scanning the room. His lips separated in a mild panic.</p><p>"I don't know. Are we?"</p><p>"Which meeting is this?"</p><p>Chris shrugged aggressively at Leon. "Aren't you supposed to know that, <em>o' bringer of meetings</em>?" Leon's eyes widened and he frantically pulled up his schedule on his phone. A breath of relief overcame him.</p><p>"It's just the League conduct meeting. Sexual harassment, media, chain of command," he sighed. "There's like… four rooms dedicated to this right now… We'll probably get a follow up email." He gestured to the specific people with folders opened. "Finance, PR, HR, legal…"</p><p>"Ah," Chris acknowledged. "The <em>do as I say, not as I do </em>meeting…" Leon rolled his eyes before checking his texts to see Hop had responded.</p><p>
  <em>7:55am: She should be up and jazzed right now. IT'S DAY ONE.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It is, but she probably didn't sleep well. AND your dumbass probably went in there yelling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>7:56am: Hey, I'm not a dumbass. Your face is a dumbass.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>My face makes money by simply existing. Yours can too if you stop pissing off your friend and start training.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>7:56am: Oh, I'm training. I'm gonna kick your ass in the championship match.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ambitious, aren't we? You have to make it to the opening ceremony first without someone killing you. Baby steps, little bro.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>7:57am: No. No baby steps. Big boy steps. Leaps. I'll be able to deadlift more than you by the time the final match comes around.</em>
</p><p>"Alright everyone. Let's get settled and get started, shall we?" Leon's thought was interrupted by the chairman of the board at the front of the room. He smiled to everyone in the conference room before turning around to turn on the computers and the screen for his meeting. Leon quickly typed his reply to Hop.</p><p>
  <em>I'm gonna deadlift you into the river when you and Iz make it to Motostoke. You haven't beaten me in strength yet and you won't now. Heading into a meeting now. Meetings most of the day. I'll text you later, nerd.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>".. and that's probably more of a direction towards you, Leon."</p><p>Upon hearing his name, he perked up in his chair, eyes heavy. "Go on," he replied, silently hoping that was an appropriate response. The rest of the team for their publicity and media meeting shot Leon a quick look before returning attention back to their presenter. Many of the members were gym leaders, frontline League employees, and some of the figures of Motostoke such as the police and fire department chiefs. Raihan, Leon's friend and toughest rival, shot him an eye roll at the fact Leon was dozing off. He shook his head to regain vision and glanced at the clock for a moment. 10:22.</p><p>"Well," the lead of public relations, Amelia, cleared her voice softly, "We have a lot of traffic coming in from our sister nations. We talked about how our numbers are almost double what they were last year. There's going to be a lot of people in the streets and stores. We want to promote positivity in the festivities and events taking place during the challenge. There's more to come about those this week, but the opening ceremony is the face of Galar's challenge and her people." Leon nodded, mostly absorbing the information. Chris noticed Leon's lack of expression and immediately stood, grabbing both of their coffee cups. He shot Chris an appreciative glance.</p><p>Somehow, he always anticipated his needs.</p><p>Probably his closest friend, and for good reason. He was turning thirty soon and had his share of difficulties, but took a keen eye on Leon when he first became champion. They trained together, ran together, travelled together, and even spent the holidays together if he didn't make plans with his sister in Kanto.</p><p>His entire family trusted him, and he couldn't have found a better person to be his go-to. The League combined a few of the security and technology departments, and he almost lost his job. Leon went to the chairman and the board, unannounced, and fought for him. Chairman Rose made him his own position as Leon's personal security detail. He still saw to some daily operations with events Leon went to, but he mostly had free reign as Leon needed it.</p><p>"I know everyone's tired and had a long night," Amelia chuckled as she watched Chris deliberately bump into chairs with pitchy apologies. Leon rolled his eyes with a laugh, rubbing his jaw tersely to try and stimulate his senses. "Most of you got in last night… some very late."</p><p>"Yeah, champ," Raihan jested, causing a soft laughter from the others in the room. Leon rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling softly and nodding.</p><p>"I'm sorry, team. I'm really trying to stay awake. You're not boring me, Amy."</p><p>"Mhm. You've seen more of your eyelids than anyone in this room today," she retorted, crossing her arms. Leon gave a somewhat agreeable nod. She gave a soft sight, and turned off her slideshow. "I'm not going to bore you with the speech they want me to give. I'll leave you with some thoughts as you're going out into public."</p><p>Chris sat back down, handing Leon his coffee. He mumbled a soft, "thanks" before taking a sip.</p><p>"We want the press. We want the pictures. We want people spreading this over social media. Give them something good to spread. Stop and take pictures. Talk to them. Give them a reason to stay out in the streets and in the shops. When you talk to the media, be upbeat but vague. Don't offer anything without being asked. Be vague. <em>We have a lot of new surprises we're sure everyone will love. </em>Or maybe <em>the turnout is much bigger this year and we have some great things in store</em>." As she finished her sentence, she clapped her hands together.</p><p>"Alright everyone. I'm sure you're ready for a break. Head on out. We'll see you at the 11:15."</p><p>As everyone began to scramble out of the room, they broke off into small crowds, catching up and chatting. Leon sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyes and blinking harshly. As the last filtered out of the room, Raihan stayed behind, collapsing in a chair next to Leon. The springs in the chair creaked as it rotated to face Leon.</p><p>"Man, what is up with you today?" Raihan's chaotic melodic tones caused Leon to sigh briefly, knowing Chris would probably spill details to get more people to agree with him. However, he had no strength to fight Chris at the moment. "I was dragging in the morning, but you're usually peppier by now."</p><p>Raihan smacked Leon's arm with the back of his hand. "I was hoping to chill for a bit last night before we had to do this shit all week. Where ya been?"</p><p>"A girl," Chris spat. Leon immediately smacked his friend's arm, albeit harder than he intended. Raihan's eyes widened, bewilderment crossing his face.</p><p>"A girl…?"</p><p>"Not a girl," he sighed. "I was back home."</p><p>"He's still in denial," Chris continued.</p><p>"Gimme a reason to fire you," Leon snarled, leaning back in his chair and aggressively rubbing his face to wake up. Chris offered a sympathetic smirk before patting Leon's shoulder.</p><p>"Why the fuss?" Raihan asked, briefly checking his watch. "She taken? Busy? <em>Not looking for something serious? </em>Just playing the field?"</p><p>Leon let his arms collapse into his lap. "It's just more complicated than that," he sighed. "And besides, it's not even a thing. Chris is just being… Chris."</p><p>"Annoying, you mean," Raihan stated. Chris glared between the two, his irritation melting into the side of Leon's head. Raihan rose an inquisitive brow before asking, "You haven't been with anyone since Gilly…?"</p><p>Leon said nothing, biting the inner corner of his mouth, his face becoming stone. Raihan's eyes danced between Chris and Leon. Chris, respectably, held his tongue. He knew how Leon felt since his last breakup. And it was still a sensitive topic.</p><p>Raihan, missing all social cues, sighed, "Come on, I haven't seen you since our last match. That was months ago."</p><p>"Look, Rai," Leon sighed. "I will tell you when there's something to tell you. Right now, there's just… I don't know…" He began to trail off, thinking of their last encounter. Their talk in the square. Her heartbroken plea. The way she held onto him. The scent of her perfume.</p><p>"There just might be something there… But I can't ask her out. Not yet. Maybe not ever." Raihan shrugged, giving Chris a curious gaze. Chris gave a small shake of his head, giving Raihan a silent statement to not press further.</p><p>"Well, it's like that sometimes. But," he stood up, giving Leon a friendly pat on the shoulder. "You either move on it because she's worth it, or you wait too long and lose your chance."</p><p>Chris cleared his voice for a moment. "Things will fall where they may," he stated, patting both of his thighs as he stood. Raihan finally took the hint, and left the room without another word. Chris let out a heavy breath, glancing down at Leon. He could see the conflict in his friend's eyes, and offered him a soft pat on the shoulder. "Just be laid back with her. Casual. See if she's feeling the same way." With that thought, he turned on his heel and walked to the door.</p><p>"I'll grab us some food. Text her!"</p><p>And then Leon was alone in the conference room with nothing but his phone, a warm cup of coffee, and his thoughts. As he opened his phone to his messages, he only had one new message and it was from Hop.</p><p>
  <em>7:59am: Have fun in your lame meetings while I'm out exploring the Wild Area.</em>
</p><p>He shook his head, a small smile on his face, and backed out of the conversation without responding. His previous messages were between himself and Chris with the details of his inn room. And then his message to Isabella.</p><p>She had probably fallen asleep before she got to read the message. Perhaps it was best to wait until she had a moment to collect herself and reply. Or maybe reaching out might show that he was interested in talking more than just random photos or directions every so often. He opened their conversation in text and scrolled up through them. She had sent him photos of her and Hop, or Ruby when she sleeps, and a few of Rami when he was acting goofy. He did a lot with her. As he scrolled, he came across the photo of Rami showing his bravado towards a picture of Leon's partner, Charizard.</p><p>He let out a small chuckle as he read the caption: <em>Look! He's bigger than Charizard now!</em></p><p>Right below that photo was another message she had sent: <em>Looking forward to seeing you this weekend! I'm making that pepperoni and cheese bread you like. I'll hide it from Hop so you can actually have some this time ;)</em></p><p>Leon found himself smiling at his phone as he scrolled, seeing the various pictures she had sent. He finally pulled to the more recent texts and found a picture Isabella sent of her and Rami, both with whipped cream on their nose and puffed cheeks.</p><p>The caption read: <em>Tried baking with Hop and Rami. I booped his nose with whipped cream and he wouldn't stop barking until he did the same to me! Could he be any cuter?!</em></p><p>Leon could remember how he felt when he first got the message. He showed it to Chris and said how adorable she was. How great she was with Rami. That he could see her becoming a professor or a nursery expert, or even a traveling Pokemon physician. Now seeing her picture, he could appreciate the shine in her emerald eyes, the soft curves of her face, the love radiating from her to Rami. He saw her for more than the fact she was his little brother's best friend.</p><p>Leon clicked on the photo and clicked on her contact settings, updating the photo from her and Hop when they were younger to the picture with Rami and the whipped cream.</p><p>He wanted to see her like that. More than he did already.</p><p>As he went back to the conversation, Leon wondered what she might be up to at the moment. It was then he remembered that Hop woke her up and how angry she must've been. As he opened the text bubble to type, he wondered what might help her feel better.</p><p>
  <em>Based on the ten million bajillion texts I got from Hop at six in the morning, I can safely assume he's not only woken you up but put you in a sour mood. Remember to breathe and sneak some Nanab berries in his food before he goes to sleep so you can get some peace and quiet. ;)</em>
</p><p>Typing the message, he reread it to make sure he didn't make any spelling errors.</p><p>'<em>How can I add more…?</em>'</p><p>Reading the message one more time, he decided to try and steer the conversation so that she might respond.</p><p>
  <em>I get to sit in a bunch of pointless meetings today so I hope you have extra fun for me and Charizard. Be safe. I'll see you in a few days!</em>
</p><p>Upon sending the message, he could smell an aroma of teriyaki and rice. He turned to see Chris reappearing with full plates for the two of them. "Don't you ever tell anyone I don't provide for my man!"</p>
<hr/><p>"Come on!" Chris shouted in exasperation, startling several of the board members. Leon, leaning on his hand, merely glanced at Chris. He was about to start, wasn't he…? "This dude's been gone for like.. 20 minutes. We're in meetings all day."</p><p>"Mr. Wilson," the representative from Wyndon gasped. "The League is required to deliver this information and ensure it is received by all upper members of the board as well as representatives and the face of the League, such as yourself and Mr. Dandel. We'll simply have to wait for Mr. Lydes to return." Chris groaned as loudly as he could, standing up.</p><p>"Half of this shit could just be sent in an email! Why do we have to sit here and waste our time when we could be out there, <em>being the face of the League</em>?" Chris shouted, imitating the representative's voice. Leon held back a chuckle. Her drawn on eyebrows rose and jaw dropped, and she began to fiddle with her pen. Her frazzled white hair seem to be getting even more frazzled.</p><p>"Mr. Wilson! Things can get lost in email and sometimes, it isn't always received! We are required-"</p><p>"You wanna talk about lost emails? Things lost in translation? Let's talk about that then!" Chris cleared his voice and Leon shook his head, placing a hand above his eyebrows to shield the fact he was struggling to hold in his laugh. "This League sits on the foundation of this country and promotes dynamaxing and gigantimaxing, but how about the fact that Pokemon used to be this giant all the time?!"</p><p>As Chris went off on his rant, Leon simply pulled out his phone under the table and unlocked it. He knew it was better to let Chris take out his pent up frustration at the administrators and board rather than listen to him whine about it for hours afterwards. His mind could run wild and this was an easy way for him to let it out. Plus, there may be the benefit of them resorting to another method of transmission of the information. Which meant less meetings.</p><p>As Leon unlocked his phone, he saw a notification pop up.</p><p>2 unread messages from Izzy.</p><p>Leon could feel the slight change in his heartbeat. Checking the time, it was 12:40. As he glanced at the group gathered in the conference room, he had noticed they were both intrigued and horrified by Chris's outburst. Leon had already tuned him out, however. He couldn't resist clicking on the notification.</p><p>
  <em>10:50am: I'll make sure to bring a coat, just in case. I'll make sure dumdum does, too. Thanks. :) Hope you got some sleep. And hopefully the meetings won't be too boring. Interject some crazy ideas, even if they don't make sense! At least it'll get them talking instead of pushing paper! Hop is always an ass but he gets to be since he's wearing the best friend belt.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>10:51am: Thanks for checking in, though! It means a lot.</em>
</p><p>He smiled at the message. Isabella always did respond to each part of his messages. He chuckled at her timing, however, as Chris was already interjecting some crazy ideas. Leon wasted no time in replying.</p><p>
  <em>In that case, I'm glad I helped make your day a little better. I would try to do something a little off the wall during these meetings but, uh.. Chris is pretty good at doing that himself. He hates these meetings more because I make him come with me. If I have to suffer, so should he, right? Or is that cruel? He does make them interesting, at least. But not enough to get us kicked out, sadly. :(</em>
</p><p>As Leon sent the message, he scanned the room to see if anyone saw his phone or the fact he wasn't paying attention.</p><p>"... and then this League and the chairman all cover it up with the power plant! And you think no one notices? <em>No!</em>"</p><p>All eyes were focused on the madman in the room. Leon's phone buzzed sooner than he thought it would.</p><p>
  <em>12:44pm: You tend to do that fairly easily. Ten years will do that, huh? How can Chris do something off the wall and not get kicked out? We're talking about the same Chris, right? This is the one that mooned the chairman on a drunken dare?</em>
</p><p>The smile fell on his face once more. It had definitely been a long time. He could remember when Isabella and her mother first moved next to them. Lisbeth was still using her cane and wasn't used to her injuries, yet she was still so sweet to all of them. His mom refused to let Lisbeth unpack by herself and demanded they all help. When Leon first saw Isabella, she was so blank. She did nothing but hold onto Ruby and refuse to talk. Hop tried to show her things, like the tricks he taught Wooloo and his collection of evolutionary stones, but she barely interacted with anyone. The first time he saw her smile was when Charmander walked over to her and Ruby cuddled up under the tree in his yard and he sat with her. He placed his head on her lap and simply sat there. Leon didn't interrupt them, and it seemed as though the heat from Charmander's body and tail warmed her where Ruby wasn't.</p><p>He remembered talking to her for the first time under that tree, offering her some of his mother's bonbons. Although she later discovered he shouldn't have even had them in the first place, Eleanora was less upset when she realized it helped Isabella open up.</p><p>That same tree was where he and Isabella ran away from Hop when he was almost done with his gym challenge.</p><p>He shook his head gently at the memories before replying.</p><p>
  <em>I can't believe it's been so long. I still feel like we're kids sometimes. Do you remember when we hid from Hop in the fields outside of Postwick? I can't believe that was almost seven years ago. I was your age. Jeez, now I feel old. And yes, THAT Chris. Here. I'll send you a video.</em>
</p><p>As Leon took a stealthy and slow video of Chris's ramblings, he noticed many of the board members were beginning to look frustrated. He hoped that meant they would call it soon. Leon sent the video to Isabella before placing his phone back on his lap and scanning the room once more. A few of the members were checking their own phones, scribbling notes on their notepads, looking out of the window with blank and glossy eyes… Leon sighed and stood up.</p><p>"Thank you, Chris, for that riveting speech," he interjected, offering a loud round of applause for his friend. No one else joined in. Chris gave an exaggerated nod and sat down heavy in his chair. "It's been over 30 minutes, and you said this presentation may be one or two hours. Now, I don't know about you, but we have another meeting at 1:30. So, if you would please, call this meeting and reschedule it when your representative has time <em>and </em>their materials together so we don't sit and listen to the <em>surprisingly</em> well thought out ramblings of my friend here?"</p><p>There was a collective groan among the conference room and, before anyone announced a reschedule, many began to get up and leave the room. Leon sighed and sat back down, waiting until the final suit left the room before leaning back in his chair.</p><p>"Come on, though," Chris laughed maniacally. "That was <em>gold</em>. She was about to have an aneurysm!"</p><p>"I'm just grateful we didn't have to explain that we were late because someone else was late," Leon sighed. "How do corporate suits even manage?"</p><p>"Who knows, my man," Chris agreed, holding out a fist toward his friend. Leon rapped his knuckles against Chris's before he noticed his phone buzzing.</p><p>
  <em>12:57pm: We have a lot of great memories together. That's one of my favorites. We've never really spent much time together without Hop, if you think about it. I'm not sure why not. Chris is ridiculous. I'm surprised they haven't, at least, tried to shut him up. I hope your meeting is almost done. We actually had one too. I'll send you the video.</em>
</p><p>Leon clicked the attachment to see Isabella recreating his own video. He chuckled at her inconspicuous placement, remaining the same amount of out-of-frame as he did in his video to her. Chris leaned over to watch the video with Leon. As soon as Hop appeared on frame, Leon got equally as frustrated and humored at the choice of argument Hop chose. Chris, however, began laughing and couldn't stop.</p><p>"Yo, did you send them a video of me?"</p><p>Leon laughed with his friend. "I had to! You were being ridiculous!" Chris began slapping his thighs, laughing harder and harder. Leon grinned, happy to see Chris's spoiled mood had leavened.</p><p>
  <em>Oh my god, I will punch Hop the next time I see him lmao.</em>
</p><p>As he reread her message, he slowly felt a curiosity rising from his chest. His brow furrowed, and Chris picked it up like a hound.</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>Leon squinted at his phone, opening his mouth to speak. He took a moment before saying, "Is she being coy?" and handed his phone to Chris. As Chris read the message, his brow raised in surprise.</p><p>"She's leaving you bait!" he shouted, handing the phone back with a bounce in his chair. "<em>We don't hang out without Hop. Hmmm… I'm not sure why.</em>" Chris slapped Leon's chest with the back of his hand out of excitement for his friend.</p><p>"She wants to see if you would be alone! That you don't need Hop around."</p><p>Leon's eyebrows curled up in a gentle shock as he looked back at the message. The disbelief sat on his face for a moment as Chris began to hype up, swinging his fist as if he were punching a speed bag. "Ohhhh my boy's about to get it!"</p><p>"Oh don't be a fucking pig," Leon laughed, slamming Chris back in his chair. Looking back down at the message, he realized he hadn't finished replying. Perhaps he could get her to open up more…?</p><p>
  <em>But you are right. We haven't really had much time together outside of a few conversations. Maybe we can change that since you and Hop are traveling. I can meet you in the different cities you go to. I can finally show you those crepes I was talking about in Circhester! The meeting is finally over but we only get about 30 minutes before the next one. :/</em>
</p><p>As soon as Leon sent the message, Chris stood from his chair, stretching his legs.</p><p>"Okay, I'm heading over to get a snack and a drink. You want anything?"</p><p>Leon shook his head as Chris began to walk out. Before he got too far, Leon called out after him. "That better be a coffee or water!" Chris waved a dismissive hand over his head as he walked away, and Leon rolled his eyes, looking back down at the phone. He waited a few minutes before anxiety began to set in,and he stood in the room, pacing around. He offered her the 30 minute window to talk without interruption.</p><p>'Maybe she just wanted to see if I was interested and she wasn't…?'</p><p>The next text came through.</p><p>
  <em>1:12pm: That would be great! I'd love to see you more. Rami would love to see you, too. He misses you when you're gone. I wish we could save you from your meetings. What would you rather be doing instead?</em>
</p><p>Leon began to overanalyze the message. Rami misses him while he's gone, but not her…? Or was she trying to say she did but didn't want to be forward? Leon paced in the room, thumbs hovering over the keypad.</p><p>
  <em>I miss you two already. Rami is going to be big and strong one day. He's a wonderful companion. And honestly? I'd much rather be on the road. Maybe trying to find new trainers to battle with.</em>
</p><p>Leon thought for a minute about her intentions. She brought up seeing him more. She brought up that they didn't spend alone time together. Maybe he could coax what she was trying to say out of her...</p><p>
  <em>Not that I don't like the guy, but I'm getting sick of seeing Chris's face everywhere I go. I know that's his job but… idk. It would be nice to be around someone else for a change.</em>
</p><p>As he sent the message, he knew she would read into it. She did that with everything. If they all sat down to watch a movie, she would read into the movie title based on the movie description alone. She took nothing at face value, always looking for more of an answer.</p><p>
  <em>1:16pm: I can imagine. Being stuck inside when you could be doing what you love… That can't be easy. You're always welcome to come find a safe haven with us. I'm sure Hop would be happy to see his big brother more. He really looks up to you. Plus, you always tend to make things way more fun.</em>
</p><p>A giddy smile crossed Leon's face, and he quickly scanned the hallway to see if Chris was on his way back. If Chris caught him grinning like the idiot he was being, he would never hear the end of it.</p><p>He looked back to the message and gave a soft chuckle. She was dancing around the topic so elegantly, refusing to acknowledge the flirtation while keeping the flame lit. "Two can play that game."</p><p>
  <em>Do I…? Hmm. It's a tempting offer, for sure. I'm sure I'll find some time to sneak away and see you all. Besides, I made you a promise, didn't I? I wouldn't be a gentleman if I let you down like that.</em>
</p><p>'Hmm,' Leon mused. 'It'll definitely make her think about it more directly… But I want her to say it.' He sent another text directly after.</p><p>
  <em>Besides, it would be pretty fun for us to hide from Hop again. Except you can spill all the details this time.</em>
</p><p>Leon smirked, knowing she would think exactly what he was. But he had no time to think as she replied quickly.</p><p>
  <em>1:22pm Sneaking away and hiding from Hop…? Sounds like fun! But don't you think he might get the wrong idea? We're not kids anymore.</em>
</p><p>Leon chuckled at the text, looking away from his phone and smiling. 'Cheeky girl…'</p><p>"Lee, come on!" He spun around and saw Chris at the door, drink in hand. "Across the hall, dude." His eyes darted from Leon's face to his hand and noticed the phone. He glanced back up at Leon and was met with a smile erupting on his face.</p><p>"Don't say anything," Leon warned, grin unwavering. "Just shut your mouth."</p><p>Leon jogged out of the room and followed Chris to the new conference room where all of his gym leaders and League leadership sat. Leon gave a nod to the team, his smile lighting up the room and the atmosphere, before sitting down. Raihan noticed the messaging app on Leon's phone and shared a look with both Leon and Chris. Chris merely gave an enthusiastic nod to which Leon abruptly shoved Chris in his chair. He tried to roll his eyes and frown, but he couldn't stop thinking about the message.</p><p>As he pulled up his phone, he could feel that she was waiting on the other side. He wasn't unsure anymore.</p><p>He knew. And he wanted her to know, too.</p><p>
  <em>Would it be the worst if he did?</em>
</p><p>As he sent the message, Leon stared at his phone, refusing to look away. As everyone began to settle in the room and prepare for the meeting to discuss the events this coming weekend, Leon felt anxiety and pressure. He didn't want her to think he was ignoring her when she responded. This wasn't a conversation to step away from. Or to ghost out on.</p><p>
  <em>Got another meeting now… If I know you well enough, you're probably gonna stew about that for a bit. Have fun. I'll talk to you after. ;)</em>
</p><p>He smirked at his own message, knowing she would fret over it. Before he locked his phone, her reply came in.</p><p>
  <em>1:30pm: Sometimes, I just really don't like you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>1:30pm: I hope your meeting is long and boring and they ask you lots of questions. &gt;_&gt;</em>
</p><p>Leon audibly laughed, catching eyes from many in the room. He scanned the room for a moment, seeing the eyes were expecting a reason for his laugh.</p><p>"Family.. Being stupid," came his excuse. Raihan smirked, shaking his head and Leon shot him a widened look, doing his best to convey a "shut up" expression without letting anyone else know. Leon immediately glanced back down to type his reply.</p><p>
  <em>See, that's just not nice. :( At least my thing was cute.</em>
</p><p>"That's right. Your brother is competing this year, yeah?" Leon looked up and met Milo's warm, friendly expression. He nodded in response.</p><p>"Yep, he's actually heading to the Wild Area today to get in some early training this week," Leon offered, continuously glancing down at his phone.</p><p>"When is he getting here?" Nessa asked, leaning forward onto the table. Leon shot her a glance, eyes focused on his phone.</p><p>"Uh, end of the week. Either morning or afternoon on... Thursday," Leon stated, glancing at his phone. "Depends on how long it takes them to get through it."</p><p>"They?" Raihan asked, a little louder than normal. Leon looked up, meeting Raihan's competitive stare, and he glowered for a moment.</p><p>"He's traveling with a <em>friend</em>."</p><p>His phone buzzed, and he immediately checked the message.</p><p>
  <em>1:32pm: Cute looks good on you. ;)</em>
</p><p>"<em>Finally!</em>" Leon groaned. He looked up at the group, knowing they would be expecting an answer. "He's.. His train is about to leave. I was just waiting for that.." Raihan offered a small shake of his head, smirking at Leon the whole time.</p><p>"I bet you're pretty excited," Raihan chuckled, his honeyed words causing Leon to force a smile.</p><p>"It'll be great to see how well he does," came his response. Nessa began to steer the conversation towards the potential in this year's challengers, and Leon took the opportunity to reply to Isabella.</p><p>
  <em>Does it? I should wear it more often, then.</em>
</p><p>As he sent the text message, he did his best to hide his smirk from his friends and sent another. He knew he could force her into admitting it.</p><p>
  <em>If I didn't know any better, I'd say you might be flirting a little there, Iz…</em>
</p><p>As everyone began to chitchat amongst themselves, Leon felt another buzz in his hand.</p><p>
  <em>1:35pm: Would it be the worst if I was…?</em>
</p><p>He couldn't stop the grin erupting on his face, biting his lower lip. All it took was eight words and the warmth in his face traveled to his chest and hands. How she could simply repeat his own phrase and give him such a visceral reaction was mesmerizing. Attracting. Surprisngly,a bit seductive. He nudged Chris on the arm and showed him the screen of his phone with the last few texts. Chris took a moment, eyes scanning from left to right, before a smirk fell on his face. "Thank me at the wedding," he laughed quietly. Leon simply rolled his eyes before looking back down at his phone. There was no uncertainty left.</p><p>The blatant honesty was refreshing, and the affection he felt was now able to be expressed.</p><p>
  <em>Only if you stopped…</em>
</p><p>As minutes passed by, he noticed no response on his phone. And as every minute went by, anxiety crept in. Was it too forward? Was it too much all at once? She just broke up with Trevor. What if she was just trying to distract herself? Or keep the energy she gave to her ex and give it to someone else?</p><p>Maybe someone like him that just showed her kindness?</p><p>And promised to be there for her…?</p><p>'And maybe I should've just been patient…' Leon ruminated. He opened his phone again.</p><p>1:49pm and no reply.</p><p>Leon bit his inner lip before spewing molten anxiety through his phone to her. And with every text, he felt more embarrassed.</p><p>
  <em>Not that that would be the only reason I would talk to you.<br/>
Or that I wouldn't talk to you if you weren't.<br/>
It's just a side of you I didn't expect.<br/>
Not that you WOULDN'T have a side like this.<br/>
Or be that way with anyone. Especially me.<br/>
Someone should take my phone away.<br/>
I'll stop talking now.<br/>
Okay. Yeah. That's probably the smartest thing I could've said.</em>
</p><p>"Leon?" He looked up at the call of his name to see Chairman Rose at the front of the conference room. "Something you'd like to share with the class, or can we get started?" Raihan chuckled at Leon's slight red cheeks.</p><p>"Sorry, I'm good. Go ahead."</p><p>Maybe her phone just happened to die as he said the most sexually forward thing he's ever said to her. Yeah.</p><p>Maybe that's it…</p><p>A buzz in his hand caused him to glance back down.</p><p>
  <em>1:50pm: Maybe it's my turn to let you stew now. ;) Go ahead and focus on your meeting. Text me whenever you're free.</em>
</p><p>Leon offered a small smirk before locking his phone.</p><p>'<em>Sly minx…</em>'</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Anticipation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is all of the content I've had posted on my FFN account. I'll be removing them from that site soon enough and should be posting a new chapter to this soon! I have the next two chapters written. Just editing and making sure it's where I want it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Within a few hours, the rain went from a torrential downpour to little more than a sprinkle. As Isabella and Hop made their way into the Rolling Fields, the sun began to peak through the darkened, gloomy clouds to reveal a beautiful sunset of orange and purple hues. On Hop's suggestion, they put the camp down on the water's edge just east of Axew's Eye. Isabella prepared food for them and their companions while Hop took off with Sobble and Wooloo to train against the wild Pokemon in the area.</p><p>"Aahx!"</p><p>Isabella glanced to her right to see Rami offering her the apple he chopped with his tusks. Isabella offered Rami a grateful smile and placed the chunks of apple into the curry. Although they were varying in size, she appreciated that he was doing his best to be a part of the team. Rami didn't like to share his food, but he did with the ones closest to him. He also had a tendency to get between her and Hop. Isabella theorized that it was because her and Hop were very rough with each other and Rami is protective of her. He never really seemed to have a problem with almost anyone else.</p><p>Isabella stirred the curry and watched Rami as he hopped off the log next to her, grabbed his favorite gingham blanket, and walked over to his new friend, Cedric the Grookey. The two of them exchanged a warm greeting before sitting down together at the water's edge. Rami fluffed the soft blanket in front of him and offered a portion to Cedric. Cedric let out a trill chirp and covered his legs, nestling into the fabric and nudging against Rami.</p><p>Rami was very selective of who he interacted with. He didn't enjoy anyone too spunky, and he disliked most foods. But he was loyal and always looking out for her. Isabella smiled. It wasn't but a few years ago that she got Rami. As her eyes glanced to Axew's Eye, she let out a content sigh. It was the first camping trip her, Sonia, Hop, and Leon took together. Leon wanted to show Hop what it was like to travel and really experience the world for what it was. Hop wouldn't go without her. They had put up their camp on the island and Sonia and Isabella made curry while Leon taught Hop how to properly catch Pokemon.</p><p>Rami had stumbled out of the nearby bushes at the smell of the curry, wary of her and Sonia. Sonia attempted to feed Rami with little success, as he retreated back into the bushes. As the four of them began eating, Isabella caught Rami's eyes from the bush. She could see his ribcage pushing from his skin and scales. The four of them discussed how to help the young Axew when Isabella simply stood from the campfire and took her food over to Rami. His instincts were to barricade himself but she gave him no room to do so. When he pulled the small branches of the bush in front of him, Isabella could see his ruby eyes for what they were. Tears on his rims and a glossy shine had never looked so miserable. She pulled the last ruby red fancy apple from her bag, cut it with a paring knife, and sat down, placing pieces out in front of her. To show him that he was in no danger, she took a bite of a piece and placed that closest to him. She then turned her side to him and began playing on her phone.</p><p>It took an hour or two, but he had finally eaten some of the apple and got close to Isabella. She didn't give him any attention until he tapped her knee. That was the first time she heard him chirp to her. She took her hooded jacket off and placed it on the ground next to her for Rami to curl into.</p><p>He had been at her side ever since.</p><p>Isabella smiled warmly as she watched Rami treat Cedric the same way she treated him when he first met her. It humbled her to think that not only did she have an impact on his view towards new friends, but that he seemed to think that meeting anyone in need of help meant that they needed an apple and something warm to curl up in.</p><hr/><p>The next day came all too quickly. Hop and Isabella agreed to stay at their spot until tomorrow, when they would begin the trek to Motostoke. Hop battled as many Pokemon as he could, going as far as to catch a Rookidee during his first day. He began challenging all the trainers he came across and even participated in battles with Isabella. She was nervous about pitting Rami against his friends, but Rami loved the challenge. He excelled when challenged to show his bravado and strength - something she believed he learned from Leon's Charizard. She even found Rami trying to break and cut as many things as he could come across with his tusks. He even broke his left tusk on a rock that he attempted to slice. Seeing as though it would grow back quickly, she gave him much encouragement on his first attempt.</p><p>As lunch time rolled around, Isabella made them some kebabs and stew with things she had foraged and jerky she brought with them. After that, she enforced play time in the water to make sure Hop wasn't running his Pokemon ragged, as he tended to do when set on a goal.</p><p>Isabella shrieked with glee as she tore through the water at waist depth, attempting to run through it. Hop swiped the water's surface with his hand, spraying a fan of the liquid at Isabella. The warm water soaked her skin and light blue halter bikini top. She fought back by cupping her hands and punching them through the surface, hurling a cone of water towards her friend. Hop attempted to protect himself from the water barrelling at him by holding his hand up at it and turning his head.</p><p>"Iz!" He cried out, laughing through excited breaths. "Iz, stop!" Isabella's harmonious laughter echoed over the sound of the water splashing against her exposed navel.</p><p>"What? Can't handle my <em>incredible agility </em>and need a break?" She jested, slamming arrogant fists into her hips. Hop rolled his eyes melodramatically and began wading towards the edge.</p><p>"Oh, please!" He laughed. "I could catch you any day of the week." She grinned from ear to ear, bliss and joy pouring from her eyes, before following suit. Hop began to dry off his chest and his slightly damp hair. As Isabella stepped out of the water, she looked towards her friend with a radiant warmth. She imagined this is what it would be like if she had a brother. A friend willing to follow you into battle as much as they are into proving they're superior over menial things like eating a hamburger faster or performing a specific trick in a video game.</p><p>He never gawked at her, either. When she hit puberty in her pre-teen years, he did his best to understand what it meant and focused on how to help her out. Eleanora even made him carry tampons in case she needed one. Like with any best friend or surrogate brother, he teased her about her first sports bra and her first period. He never made it awkward, though. Somehow, through all of their time together, they never pulled together like their moms thought they would. She had heard so many love stories in television and movies about two childhood friends falling in love.</p><p>Her and Hop used to watch those just to laugh at them.</p><p>She smiled at the thought before aggressively shaking her head from side to side, whipping wind into her hair to dry off the slight moisture from splashed water. As she was swinging, she heard a soft bark from her feet. Ruby came over with a sunset orange towel in her mouth. As she accepted the gift with a pat or two on Ruby's head, she began to wipe down the water on her chest. She watched as Hop stepped away a bit, answering what appeared to be a video call on his phone.</p><p>"Iz, come here!" He called. Isabella grinned and began to jog over.</p><p>"Is it your mom? I can't wait to get the photos from the party!" Isabella jumped next to Hop, placing an elbow on his shoulder. On the phone screen, she met Leon's eyes. Isabella froze for a moment. She hadn't talked to him since they spoke through text the day before.</p><p>"Hey, Iz," came his smooth voice through the speaker. She could feel the heat on her cheeks. She struggled to find words.</p><p>Hop shook his shoulder so she would fall off of it, and it jostled her mind. "Hey, Lee," she stammered softly. It took mere milliseconds for Leon to see her embarrassment and he chuckled.</p><p>"You look like you've seen a ghost," he jested. As Hop turned to Isabella, Leon offered her a smirk as discreetly as he could. It was gone from his face before his brother turned back to the camera and video. Isabella shook her head minimally, smiling back at Leon.</p><p>"Don't you have boring meetings to be at?"</p><p>Leon grasped his chest dramatically. "You wound me, madame." Hop rolled his eyes at the two of them.</p><p>"Can't you two be annoying some other time?" He sighed. "What's up, Lee? I'm sure you didn't call for this."</p><p>Leon nodded, amused at his little brother's agitation. "Just checking in to see how things were going. Making sure you two haven't killed each other yet."</p><p>"Well," Hop began. "It's definitely going great. Feels weird not waking up at home, though." He seemed to trail off towards the end of his sentence. Leon only nodded in response.</p><p>"It'll be like that for a little while, bud," he consoled. Leon's warm smile seemed to raise Hop's spirits. "Soon enough, you'll start dreading checking in with mom. You'll be so focused on doing whatever you can while you're out on your own."</p><p>Isabella smiled at the two brothers, being reminded of how paternal Leon could be with Hop. Their father ran out on them when Hop was a baby. Leon could remember his father but Hop never had the chance. It's why his grandparents came to live with them. Eleanora was spiraling and they helped raise the two boys. It was hard to believe that she ever had a husband to begin with now. Leon stepped up when he was a kid to raise Hop the right way, as Eleanora liked to say.</p><p>Leon didn't like to talk about it.</p><p>"I know," he mumbled, a little defiantly. "I'm just used to being surrounded by people. No offense to Izzy. She's great company. But… I do miss having everyone together." Isabella placed a comforting hand on Hop's shoulder and offered a gentle squeeze.</p><p>"We'll make friends and do all sorts of fun stuff with them," she smiled. "And we can always go home if we're really wanting to."</p><p>Leon's eyes bounced between the two. He softly cleared his throat to gather Hop's attention again. "Well, I didn't want to take up your time. Just checking in. My schedule will clear up tomorrow so feel free to call or text." Before he could say anything further, Chris popped into view from Leon's left, holding a mug of what Isabella assumed was coffee.</p><p>However, knowing Chris, it was probably spiked with something.</p><p>"The big boy here is almost done dragging me through these things. Hopefully you two will get here soon so I can bugger off for a bit," he laughed, talking a healthy swig of his drink. His nose seemed to twinge a bit before he swallowed.</p><p>'<em>Probably whiskey,</em>' Isabella mused.</p><p>Leon rolled his eyes at his friend before shoving him out of view with a quiet, "You smell like a brewery." Leon let out a sharp sigh before giving a smile to the camera. "I'll talk to you two later. Weather looks clear the rest of the week so make sure you get out there and explore!"</p><p>Hop grinned and nodded as he waved to his phone. Leon smiled at both of them before offering a lazy pointer finger salute from his temple. Leon winked right before the video feed went black, and it brought heat to Isabella's cheeks. Hop pulled his phone down and shoved it right into his back pocket.</p><p>"He's got a point," Hop proclaimed, turning with purpose towards Isabella. "We need to explore more of the Wild Area before we get to Motostoke. Tomorrow, we should pack up camp and head towards the Watchtower Ruins." Isabella grinned at the idea, having been fascinated with those ruins before.</p><p>"Sounds like a plan," she agreed. "Why don't you go get some training done and I'll study up a bit more on the area?" Hop smiled at her statement, giving her a friendly, albeit rough, pat on the arm.</p><p>"Lemme pack up and I'll head east this time!"</p><p>Within a matter of minutes, Hop had gathered his pack with essentials and his Pokemon before beginning his trek east of their camp. Isabella finished drying off and sat down in the shade of the tree nearby, pulling out her book on the localized ecosystem of the Wild Area. It was a gift from Sonia about a few years ago after she had brought Rami home.</p><p>As she placed her blanket under the tree, her and Rami nestled into the cushion and she began to read as he took a nap against her thigh. She got about a quarter of the way through the chapter defining the root vegetables often found near Axew's Eye before she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She smiled at her screen, seeing Leon's face pop up.</p><p>
  <em>2:12pm: Catching you off-guard like that is pretty fun. I'll keep that in mind when you and Hop get here.</em>
</p><p>Isabella scoffed at the message, smirking at her phone.</p><p>
  <em>Mhm. Okay. You don't get to be cheeky AND make me blush. That's just not fair.</em>
</p><p>And so it became a waiting game of texting back and forth.</p><p>
  <em>2:13pm: Aw, are you saying I was teasing you…?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mhm. I am terribly upset. No chance of recovering. It's fatal. See. Look at what you did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:14pm: You are such a bad liar, Iz. How are you ever going to hide your undying love for me?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I flirt with you a little and now I'm in love? Are you saying you're THAT good? That's a little forward, hmm?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:16pm: Maybe a little. But when have I ever been subtle?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That's a fair point. But I'm also not like your fangirls. I won't beg for a chance to sniff your hat.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:16pm: That happened ONCE, and you and Hop won't stop reminding me.<br/>2:17pm: Why do you think I keep Chris around? He knows when to step in.<br/>2:17pm: At least, after HatSnifferXOXO.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I've worn your hat. I don't see the appeal.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:18pm: r00d<br/>2:18pm: You're not allowed to wear it ever again now. I'm banning you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh, no! It's forbidden... I must have it!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:19pm: Mhm, the case of the forbidden fruit. Maybe if you're nice, I'll let you wear it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh? And what constitutes nice?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:20pm: I'm sure I'll come up with something..</em>
</p><p>It was at this point, Isabella began to feel flushed. She had never felt so outwardly emotional just by texting someone. For her and Leon to hold a conversation through text like this, she felt like she was doing something she shouldn't. She felt a little risky texting with another guy like this. She knew in her mind that she and Trevor were broken up and done for good. But it still felt like she wasn't doing something morally right.</p><p>Maybe it was because of Hop? She didn't feel right not talking to him about all of this.</p><p>But maybe it was good for her to keep something to herself for a change.</p><p>
  <em>Lee, that sounds a bit risqué….</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:23pm: ...would you prefer it if it was..?</em>
</p><p>As she carefully contemplated the consequences of her next message, she couldn't help but feel that, however discreet this was, it was natural. She didn't feel like she was conforming to what she thought he would want. Not like what she did with Trevor, sacrificing her needs and wants to ensure he was happy.</p><p>But maybe this flirting could help her ease into her new mindset of being happy and letting things fall as they may.</p><p>
  <em>I might… if you can come up with something I like.</em>
</p><p>She watched as the message was sent and received. The familiar feeling of tightness in her chest as she waited for the reply came too fast. Her fingers shook in anticipation.</p><p>
  <em>2:28pm: I think I know you well enough to find something you would enjoy.</em>
</p><p>Isabella bit her lower lip, heat slowly passing down her body to her chest.</p><p>
  <em>Oh..? Think you know me that well?</em>
</p><p>She had to admit - it was fun to talk to him like this. She never had this kind of honest connection with anyone besides her mom and Hop. Although, she didn't flirt with either of them.</p><p>
  <em>2:30pm: Mhm. I think it'll be fun getting to know more of it, though…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now who's flirting a little…?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:31pm: I think we both are.<br/>2:31pm: And I think we should keep doing it.</em>
</p><p>The giddy smile that erupted on her face was boundless, and she giggled quite a bit reading the message, stirring Rami from his nap.</p><p>"Aahx," came his grumbly response to her bouncing. Isabella chuckled, the bright red flush on her cheeks practically glowing. She gave Rami a soft pat and apology as he shifted around, trying to find a new comfortable spot in the blanket.</p><p>She was a little shocked that Leon saw her this way. She wasn't sure that was possible. He's been the champion for almost 7 years. He could have any girl he wanted with the snap of his fingers.</p><p>Why his little brother's best friend?</p><p>As she began to fall into the rabbit hole of overthinking, another message came through.</p><p>
  <em>2:34pm: Although, if this is too much, we can go on like we didn't send these messages.<br/>2:34pm: I can't imagine Hop would be thrilled.</em>
</p><p>He made a valid point. Hop was very insistent to her when they were kids that he didn't want his older brother involved with his friends. It's why he stopped talking to a lot of girls in their community. They always tried to use Hop to get to Leon. He never took anyone at face value anymore. With most people, they normally believe in the good. With Hop, he assumed everyone had an ulterior motive and they would need to prove themselves otherwise. It got to the point he made it explicitly clear from the get-go that he wouldn't tell anyone his last name unless he trusted them.</p><p>Isabella was one of the few he kept so close. Many just didn't meet his extensive, and maybe a little overbearing, requirements.</p><p>Earning Hop's trust was a marathon, not a sprint.</p><p>
  <em>2:35pm: I don't want him to feel like he's being suffocated by me.</em>
</p><p>She certainly didn't want Hop to feel like she was abandoning him for his brother, and she didn't want him to think that she used his friendship all of these years. Leon was handsome, smart, capable, and an amazing friend.</p><p>But he wasn't worth hurting Hop.</p><p>No one was.</p><p>
  <em>It might be smart to think about this before we do or say anything that might upset him. I won't hurt Hop. Not for anyone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:39pm: I agree. Why don't we talk more when you and Hop get here? We'll find some time to get away from the craziness.</em>
</p><p>Isabella smiled before typing her reply.</p><p>
  <em>Where would we go? There's going to be so many people coming in for the reveal. I doubt we can find a spot to talk. You'll have people fawning over you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:40pm: That's the beauty in being the Champion, Iz. I have people that can create the time and place for us. We'll have a nice, quiet place away from everyone to talk.<br/>2:41pm: And don't worry - I'll be a perfect gentleman. I'll even get some food for us.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lee, that sounds an awful lot like a traditional date… Trying to woo me already?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:42pm: Very cute, Iz. If I were asking you out on a date, you would know. And besides, it would be anything but traditional.<br/>2:42pm: A girl like you deserves a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.</em>
</p><p>The fluttering in her chest mixed with the heat in her hands and face was almost overwhelming. She had never been spoken to like this before. She felt like she had value.</p><p>
  <em>You're getting too good at this "making me blush" thing. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you soon. :)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>2:44pm: As am I. :)</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. New Meetings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author’s Notes: Sorry about the delay! Life has been stressful (although I’m sure it is for everyone right now). More introductions and a lot of build-up content! I had a lot of fun writing this one and tried to work in some foreshadowing. If you’ve played the game, then you’re aware of who these characters are but the mystery is always fun to play with. ;)<br/>Thank you to all of you that favorite and watch the story unfold, and to those of you that review!~ It lifts my spirits when I see it and when I read, and it makes me keep pushing out content. <br/>Love you all! Hope you are staying safe!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Come on, Izzy,” Hop huffed, leaning to his right and crossing his arms. “You have enough samples. Registration opens in an hour! I want to be the first to sign in! At this rate, we’ll be the last!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m almost done,” she argued back. Carefully, she placed the small fragments of the tower into a sealed bag and zipped it as tight as she could. The Watchtower Ruins had several strange markings on it, and she managed to find a few pieces with what she hoped would be enough to begin study. Plenty of people had their ideas of what language it might have been, but she and the Professor always spoke of looking into it further. Isabella placed the sealed bag into her pack and threw it over her shoulders, rather gruffly to make a point to Hop that she was irritated with him. As she approached her friend, she noticed his brow was furrowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, would you get your panties out of your ass?” She snapped, brow pinched tight together. “It’ll take us 30 minutes to get into town, and maybe 15 to get to registration. You’ll be fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aahx, Axew,” came Rami’s agreement. Hop groaned at both of them before beginning to walk towards Motostoke. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” he finally stated. “But if we’re not first, I’m going to be pissed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took less than 30 minutes to make it to the stairs leading into Motostoke. Somehow, even after visiting Motostoke a few times for specific ingredients and clothes, Isabella barely recognized the architecture. It was as if she and the town had been buffed clean of all of their rough edges. As they walked through the gates, the sounds and smells overwhelmed her. Hundreds of people flooding the streets, several street vendors, fried foods, and music carried through every possible place she could view. It was like the entire journey and talk of it had finally come to play. Hop’s scowl had been replaced by a smile of wonder and excitement. His eyes darted from vendor to vendor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took in a huge breath through his nose, and exhaled loudly. “I wasn’t expecting all of this!” He darted forward into the crowd, Wooloo close behind, and snapped his head every which way he could. Isabella began to chuckle, and her Rotom phone began to record him, snapping photos inbetween. Isabella followed after Hop, Rami chirping with excitement from her arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop, what happened to ‘we better be first,’ huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In a minute,” he dismissed, waving a hand in her direction while the grin on his face expanded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>People were displaying their favorite Pokemon with cosplay and there were themed snacks all around, balloons featuring the League symbols, and so much more. The streets were donning the different types of gym leaders types, the League commission itself, and an array of colored streamers and paper lanterns. The buildings had decorative flags on display, and colored lights shining. Isabella spun in her spot, taking in the celebration of the new gym challenge. It was as if the city was prepared for a festival to see the new challengers off on their quest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a much larger celebration than last year. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps word of the nationwide celebration invoked even more tourists from other nations to come join them than it did last year. Maybe the noise about the World Championship was getting enticed by Galar. Or perhaps it just seemed that way considering the only time they had been here in person was when Leon began his challenge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took Isabella a few minutes to tear Hop away from the street to head towards the Motostoke Gym for registration. The upper part of the city was just as bustling. As Isabella and Hop reached the top of the lift, she noticed several more cosplayers and people sporting their favorite types or favorite Pokemon. Right outside the gym was a man fully decked out in red and white, wearing a helmet shaped like a Pokeball. She chuckled before entering the Gym Stadium with Hop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the glass doors slid open without so much as a noise, the intense rabble of the people within echoed out as if someone opened the door to a packed stadium. Hop’s jaw dropped as the two made their way inside, watching as challengers from all walks of Galar were showing their jerseys to one another and mingling in the dense crowd. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my… Iz, it looks like they opened registration early,” Hop called out over the noise. “Come on, the line’s short! Let’s get in there.” Isabella and Hop raced through the crowd into line, only having to wait a few moments before they were called to the counter. Isabella’s Rotom began to take pictures of Hop as he worked with the League Representative. Isabella spun on her heels, eyeing the crowd to see if Hop’s competition was strong or experienced. As her eyes scanned the room, she caught glimpses of many different trainers. She could see some strong looking Pokemon in the area, like a hardened Tyroge and an ethereal Ralts. As she continued to scan, she caught a brief glance of a League official with onyx hair that seemed familiar. Isabella stood on the balls of her feet to get a better view, the crowd seemed to shuffle around the man and conceal him unintentionally. Isabella threw her head left and right in agitation, attempting to see around the sea of people with no avail. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>There’s no need to panic,</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ she told herself. ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Trevor wouldn’t be here. His post is in Wyndon. Not here.</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Izzy, you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She snapped her head in the direction of the voice only to meet Hop’s confused gaze. He had a uniform in hand proudly displaying his favorite number: 15. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was born on November 15th. He won his first match against a trainer at 15. He was always 15 minutes early for everything. Whenever a number is a chance, he always wound up getting 15. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was his lucky number. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded. “Yeah, no. I’m okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop raised a suspicious brow, placing his free hand on his hip before gesturing towards her. “Come on, I’m all registered. Let’s go check into our room.” He placed a hand on her upper back and guided her out of the crowd. Wooloo enthusiastically charged out first, dramatically checking both left and right before crying out, signaling that it was clear. Isabella and Hop chuckled in unison at Wooloo. Within a millisecond, Rami began to thrash in Isabella’s grasp, crying out and trying to get to his friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wooloo and Rami would frequently pretend to be undercover spies, or so that’s what they called it, and would sneak around, doing overt flips and rolls to dodge imaginary obstacles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was clear he was raring to go.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can play when we get to the room, sweet boy,” she soothed, bouncing him in her arms to settle him down. Rami huffed at her before he loosened in her grip, visibly agitated that Wooloo was free to play but he was confined to Isabella’s arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop and Isabella made their way through the crowd to the main road running through the top end of the city. As they approached the street, a young man wearing an intense magenta overcoat pushed past Hop, nearly knocking him to the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch it, dude!” Hop called out, straightening back to his full stance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trainer merely turned his head over his shoulder at Hop, disdain shooting from his amethyst eyes between coiled locks of silver hair. “Don’t make me laugh, rookie. My valuable time is wasted on jokes like you.” Without so much as a breath, the young man whipped his head back and walked away, throwing a dismissive hand over his shoulder. Isabella furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to respond, but Hop was quicker. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, wouldn’t want to take away from all that time you need to spend trying to make pink not look like shit,” Hop called out, stepping one dominant foot towards the trainer. Wooloo let out a battle cry next to Hop, his curly wool seemingly vibrating. The trainer kept walking, waving yet another dismissive hand back towards Hop and Isabella. Hop let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The nerve of some people,” he growled. “Ugh.. Let’s not let it kill the mood.” Isabella smiled at Hop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone’s a critic,” she agreed. And with a coy smirk, she added, “... and it’s magenta, not pink.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Iz, I will take you down to the pavement, I swear…” Isabella laughed at Hop’s reaction, earning a small smile from her friend. “Alright, let’s go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pair walked through the street, eyeing the various vendors and stalls. They began to get closer, looking at the different wares and foods that filled the streets. Isabella happened to stumble upon a vendor selling jewelry, and politely edged her way through the ambient crowd to the front of the stall. It took mere seconds for her to find a chain that closely resembled the one that would fit her bracelet. She bit her inner lip for a moment before the owner of the stall began to speak with her. She refused to haggle the price of the chain with the man and simply paid the ₱5,000 for it, and made a mental note to put the bracelet back together when she got into their hotel room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After failing miserably to pull Hop away from the taiyaki stall, they entered the inn sharing the chocolate hazelnut option that was available. The lobby of the inn took her breath away. The ceilings were easily 20 to 30 feet high with a beautiful crystalline chandelier hanging above them. The tiled floors were covered in lush rugs of red velvet and gold. There were far fewer trainers in the inn’s lobby, and Isabella could only assume they were partaking in the city’s festivities. As they approached the stairs, they were met with the 10 to 15 foot tall statue of a knight holding a sword and shield. She could remember the legend of the character depicted in this statue. Her and Sonia read about it not too long ago. Sonia has been chasing information about it ever since. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella lifted her phone and snapped a picture of the statue, sending it to her friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Might be worth coming out for the opening ceremony. Looks like you might be able to do some research out here! And you could bring the samples I got from the watchtower back to the Professor!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After sending the message, Isabella and Hop walked up the short staircase into the front desk area. As they approached the main area of the lobby, they were greeted with the gentle dissonance of anger. Hop and Isabella eyed each other with cautious inquiry before glancing around the crowd, seeming to have formed a wall around the front desk. As a few people began to walk away, shaking their heads, Hop immediately pulled Isabella forward into the opening, Wooloo trailing at his heels. Rami began to make agitated groans, pulling from Isabella’s grasp to see better through the various people. As Hop pulled Isabella to the front of the crowd, they met the cause of the disturbance. It appeared to be a trio of young adults. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, gramps. We already told all of y’all,” the younger of the group shouted. He began to wave his hands around recklessly, hyping himself and his group up. “We ain’t leaving!” All three of the group were donning black and deep pink attire -- a uniform of sorts -- with matching hair and an odor Isabella could not name. Through the rumblings of the crowd, the name Team Yell seemed to come up often, yet she hadn’t heard of them before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir, please, if you’re not here to check in, then you--”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No more talking!” The young girl in the group slammed her fist on the counter as hard as she could, repeating it to drown out his plea. The noise was enough to exhilarate her two friends as they began to scream with antagonistic delight, running around in circles and forcing people away from the desk. The hushed crowd began to wander away, gentle rumblings of trying to find another place to stay at. It seemed to delight the group causing the trouble and drama, and their Pokemon began to strut about the area with an aggressive loyalty. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop, however, was unamused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude, stop being a dick,” Hop snarled, pushing forward. Isabella’s eyes widened. </span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>“Hop, don’t--”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No,” he interrupted her, putting a hand up as he got in-between her and the aggressive youths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“People are here for the opening ceremony and to challenge other trainers. You don’t get to dictate who can be here,” Hop snapped, leaning toward the young man approaching him. Hop stood his ground, squinting his eyes as he met the pale man’s blue orbs. Isabella stepped closer to Hop, showing solidarity, as the other man got within inches of Hop’s face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not blind, squirt,” he sneered, a vile grin spreading across his face. He began to laugh at Hop, backing away for a moment, and his Nickit approached Wooloo with a dark hunger. “Pretty big britches on you to come at me like that.” As he grinned towards Hop, malicious intent in his eyes, he met Isabella’s glare. “Your boyfriend’s got spunk... I like spunk.” With a wide, toothy smirk, he winked at Isabella. Her brow immediately furrowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You need to leave,” Hop growled, facing the man fully and further stepping in-between himself and Isabella. Rami began to growl in Isabella’s arms, gently pulling so he could fully view the threat. “These people didn’t do anything and you have no benefit in making a fool out of yourself.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A fool..?” The man chuckled and glanced at his friends. “Man, I’m just getting started,” he snarled, stepping towards Hop and shoving his shoulder back. Isabella watched as Hop clenched his fist and, before he could swing, she jumped in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Back off,” she snapped. Rami began to snarl at the man, and Isabella debated for a moment on letting him loose. “Any man willing to endanger another and be an upstart like this has no place here. So why don’t you take your stank ass back to the sewer you crawled out of?” Hop placed a hand on her shoulder as the man took a step back, his eyes drifting down her body and back to her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seemingly unfazed by her outburst, he took a step towards her and she took a defensive step back. “Why don’t you come with me to that sewer and I can show you what real men do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough!” The shout from behind them caused Isabella and Hop to turn their heads. From the stairs came a younger woman about their age with starry black hair pulled into sharp, thick pigtails with an edgy undercut. Her intense lime colored eyes were pulled taut, anger accentuated by her clean, cat-like eyeliner. “You lot have caused enough trouble. Go home, or go to the undercity and be quiet.” Her silvery controlled voice rang through the air, having a mesmerizing effect on Isabella. She glanced over her shoulder to see the thugs had a similar reaction. However, they seemed almost remorseful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We were getting bored, anyway,” the man sneered, beckoning his friends to follow. As his Nickit took its eyes off of Wooloo, the man leaned into Hop’s ear and whispered, “Y’know, Nickits </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>the thrill of the hunt.” Hop met his eyes, glowering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch yourself,” came the man’s final thought before turning on his heel and walking out with his comrades. Everyone in the area stayed silent until they left the building, all watching to ensure they did, in fact, leave. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What a bunch of assholes,” Hop growled. Isabella nodded toward her friend before turning around and facing the young woman responsible for their begrudging agreement with her. She met Isabella’s eyes and, upon a small smile, walked over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They can be,” came her reply. Hop turned at the sound of her voice and his angry demeanor melted away. The woman tilted her head for a moment. “Although you stood up to them even when they were threatening you…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop offered a small smile for her and gave a short nod. “No one else was. And there’s kids here.” The woman nodded in response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’re a knight in shining armor is what you’re saying,” she chuckled. Hop’s eyes widened a bit. Before he could respond, Isabella stopped him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He has a short fuse with idiots,” she stated. The young woman chuckled, straightening her cropped leather jacket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Team Yell tends to do that,” she said curtly. “They’ve been following me around and cheering me on. But they get way out of hand in larger groups and gatherings like this… I just don’t want them embarrassing me or my brother...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got a fan club?” Hop coughed. Isabella giggled quietly at him as he spoke. “Are you a challenger, too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leaned on her left leg and put a hand on her hip. “No, I’m the one who’s going to win. Challenger makes it sound like I have to put up a fight.” And within a millisecond, Isabella could feel the heat radiating from Hop’s body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, no, that’s me,” he laughed. “You must’ve gotten confused.” She raised an eyebrow in disbelief at him. “It’s okay. It happens to the best of us. I’m sure you’re perfectly adequate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop, don’t be rude,” Isabella hissed, elbowing his arm harshly. He snapped his head towards his friend and glared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not being rude. She’s wrong,” he snarled softly. The woman chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, he’s fine,” she stated. “Friendly competition is good. Hopefully your Pokemon are as fired up as you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, they are,” he agreed. Wooloo gave off a battle cry, pushing past Hop’s leg and puffing his chest towards the young woman. Her Morpeko jumped from her shoulder onto the ground and let off her own battle cry, showing bravado towards Wooloo. She smiled down at her friend before meeting Isabella’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you competing, too?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Isabella shook her head. “Just here to support Hop on his journey. Hoping to find something along the way.” The woman offered a small smile at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t we all?” They shared a gentle nod. “Well, I’m going to my room to rest. But I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the mixer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella and Hop shared a look. “Mixer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. The League organized it last minute. All of the challengers get a chance to meet the gym leaders and get some advice,” she said. “Food, drinks, music. Helps break the tension before the opening ceremony.” The fire in Hop’s eyes lit up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean a chance to become memorable before you even get a chance to challenge them.” They shared a competitive gaze before the young woman smirked, holding her hand out towards the ground for her Morpeko to climb up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps,” she agreed solemnly. “I’ll see you in the morning then, Hop.” As her Morpeko climbed back to her shoulder, she turned on her heel and walked slowly towards the elevator. Hop’s jaw dropped slightly as he watched her, taking a step in her direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, what’s your name?” he called out. She stopped for a second as the elevator opened before looking over her shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure you’ll find out,” came her soft response before she turned away, stepped onto the elevator, and smiled as the doors closed. Hop stood in silence for a moment, staring at the doors. Isabella chuckled and walked next to Hop, slightly out of view. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re drooling,” she laughed. Hop snapped his head towards her, glaring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you’re stupid,” he snapped back, a small smirk on his lips, before nodding his head towards the desk. “Come on, you jerk. Let’s get checked in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*~*</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within a few moments, Hop swiped his key card from the hotel to their room and pushed open the door. Offering Isabella to walk in first, they entered the room, dropping their bags at the entrance. The room was spacious and well-stocked. There were Cramorant-shaped towels on their king-sized bed, a giant TV on the table against the wall, a basket of fruit on the mini-fridge, and an armoire in the corner with an ironing board. Isabella set Rami down on the ground and he immediately ran into the room with Wooloo, prancing around at the new smells. Isabella walked into the bathroom to see an array of bathroom products, ranging from makeup wipes to applicators, extra toothbrushes, and lotions. As she walked back into the main room, she entered just as Hop charged towards the bed and flew through the air, bouncing on the mattress with a moan of relief. Isabella began laughing at him, picking up the extra pillow on the chair next to her and running towards him, swinging it over her head and bringing it down on his rear end at full force. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop yelped in surprise, flipping over quickly and grabbing her around the waist, whipping her onto the bed. She let out a scream in shock, quickly thrashing in his grip to break free. They playfully struggled to gain the upper hand, shouting profanities and insults at each other as they wrestled. It took mere moments for them to roll off the edge and onto the floor, slamming with a loud thud and knocking the wind out of Hop. He began coughing and waving for her to stop as he attempted to regain his breath. He could barely make any noise over Isabella’s laughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’ll show you not to throw me, you fucking nerd!” She scrambled to her feet, out of reach, to avoid getting into another scuffle. She then jumped into the bed, enjoying the feel of a mattress under her rather than the relatively thin sleeping bag she happened to bring with her. She was grateful that they would be able to store their camping gear here for a small fee so they wouldn’t have to lug it around with them in places they would have access to an inn or hotel. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Hop threw himself onto his feet, he glanced at Isabella before chuckling and pulling out his phone. Isabella could hear a small rummaging noise before she noticed Rami pulling himself onto the bed to be with her. He chirped with excitement before stumbling over to her, nestling into her arm. With a smile, she pulled him closer and gave him a gentle squeeze. Hop sat on the edge of the bed and leaned back, resting his head on Isabella’s abdomen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on Wooloo! Group pic!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wooloo launched onto the bed and lied gently on Isabella, right above Hop’s head like a cute, fuzzy hat. Hop and Isabella’s Rotom phones both flew into the air, taking a few pictures of the four of them. As Hop grabbed his phone to view the photos, he received a text from his brother. The two sat in a comforting silence, tending to various tasks on their phones and responding to messages. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Leon wants to come see us soon. You care if I give him the room number?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella chuckled, tilting her phone away from her face so she could view Hop and give him her full attention. “Mmm… sure. After I take a shower. But then you have to go with me to see all the stalls later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop sat up on his elbows and looked over his shoulder to meet her eyes. “If you promise not to shout stupid stuff when we’re near people,” he argued. Isabella raised an eyebrow at him, scoffing in disbelief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When have I ever done that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Iz…” Hop warned, causing her to chuckle. “No shouting </span>
  <em>
    <span>get out of my asshole </span>
  </em>
  <span>because last time, we almost got in trouble.” Isabella burst into laughter as Hop flushed, furrowing his brow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not funny! They called the police!” Isabella could hardly hear Hop over her own laughter and he shot from the bed, shaking his head while giving his brother the okay to stop by. As Isabella began to calm down, she patted the corners of her eyes to remove the tears without smudging her eyeliner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, Hop. It was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>funny,” she laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Girls don’t go to jail, Iz!” Hop scowled in her direction, fighting a laugh. “I will leave you here without a key card so you can’t leave without getting locked out.” Isabella feigned shock as melodramatically as she could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no! Whatever will I do?” Hop rolled his eyes at her before hurling a towel at her, a small, bemused smile on his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just go shower. You fucking reek.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Festivity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Author’s Notes: Okay, this one was REALLY fun to write and I hope you all enjoy it. Sorry I have been taking literal YEARS to update but last year was rough and yada yada. I’m actually also working on trying to get my art career off the ground. I’m drawing some sexy Leon fanart atm on my Twitch. It’s mostly just me and my IRL frens hanging out on there but if you wanna come on over, I mostly draw fanart and I take suggestions! I’m IzzyLockhardt on there and Instagram if you wanna come hang out with me. I love making new frens :3</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chapters are going to start coming regularly. I’ve got two ahead of this already written. I’m just editing them now. OKAY THANKS FOR MY LIL PLUG ENJOY THE STORY &lt;3</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Isabella placed the last charm of the gift she received from Leon onto her new bracelet, pinching it closed with the jewelry tools she had purchased with the chain. Holding the bracelet up towards the window, she admired the beautiful red shine to the gems. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>He did a great job picking this out</span>
  </em>
  <span>,’ Isabella mused, a soft smile on her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently, she wrapped it around her wrist and clasped it shut. The peaceful melody of the shower going in the bathroom was soothing, and she still felt so relaxed after having finished drying her hair and applying her makeup, excited to browse the city and see what all of the League opening ceremonies had to offer. As her phone buzzed, Rami nuzzled up to Isabella’s thigh with a quiet murmur. She offered him a smile before lifting her phone to view the message that had come through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>2:10pm: Hey, I got caught up with Chris and Hop isn’t answering. Is it still a good time to come up to the room?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sure. I’ll leave the door open. Just come on in. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella set her phone back on the bed, lifting Rami into her arms. His soft, scratchy coos made her feel so light, and she gave him a loving pet down his nose. It took her only a moment to open the door to their room and flip the door’s latch in between the door and the hallway to leave it ajar without leaving the door wide open. She plopped back down on the bed, leaning against the headboard with Rami on her lap. Isabella checked her phone once more to see if there was a reply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>2:11pm: Is Hop dead tired from the trip? Is he passed out like he usually is?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not yet! He’s in the shower. We both wanted to before doing anything else. Camping isn’t as clean as you’d think if you go for more than one day. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>2:12pm: Absolutely. I’m sure the shower felt great. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span><br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>2:12pm: I’m on my way. Be there in a few. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Looking forward to seeing you!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>2:13pm: Same here. :)</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella grinned shamelessly at her phone, biting her lower lip in anticipation. She felt an array of anxiety, embarrassment, and excitement knowing she would be face to face with Leon after all of the text messages. She briefly wondered if he was feeling the same way. As the minutes began to pass by, Isabella wished more and more that Hop would finish his shower and come out before Leon arrived. She wasn’t sure that she could be alone with him and not turn into a blubbering, blushing mess and collapse into a pile of goo on the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A brief knock at the door caused her to gasp a bit, startling her. Rami flinched away, blinking hard and growling low. “I-It’s open,” she managed to croak out, patting Rami softly on the head. Her heart rate began to climb as the door opened up, and she turned her head to meet his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aahx aahx Axew!!” Rami barked from Isabella’s lap before tumbling onto the floor and charging to the door, jumping gracefully into Leon’s arms. His brilliant smile tore through the air and Isabella felt her heart jump into her throat, overwhelmed and overstimulated by her feelings and emotions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My favorite buddy!” He called out, holding Rami close to his chest. His spirited chestnut eyes met Isabella’s energetic green orbs, and his grin widened. “And my favorite neighbor, of course.” She couldn’t help but grin back at him, admiring the tight fit of his League jersey unencumbered by his Champion’s cloak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glad you survived your meetings in one piece,” she jested, bouncing from the bed, her high-waisted grey balloon skirt bouncing with her. He softly rolled his eyes, his deep laugh ringing in her ears, as he closed the door behind him and set Rami down. She couldn’t contain the excitement of seeing him again so soon, and watching as his face lit up when she smiled overwhelmed her. Isabella softy skipped over to Leon as he approached, throwing her arms around his neck and slamming into his chest. He let out a brief grunt as she collided with him. He chuckled softly, coiling his arms around her waist as tight as he could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This might be the most I’ve seen you in months,” he chuckled, swaying gently from side to side with her. She chuckled in his arms, enjoying the warmth of his body against her chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And yet it still doesn’t feel like enough,” she replied, the smile present in her tone. Leon gently pulled away from her, and Isabella allowed her arms to slide off of his shoulders. Being face to face with him after exploring her feelings felt so much different than when he would come home to see her and Hop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll work on changing that,” he grinned. Isabella’s cheeks flushed for a moment as she glanced away. Leon mentally noted the shower running behind the closed bathroom door before he grabbed Isabella’s hand and led her to the bed’s edge before sitting down. She took the cue and sat next to him. As she began to fiddle with her hands, he could tell just how nervous she was. She kept glancing towards her hands, letting out soft but shaky breaths, bouncing her leg… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It made Leon smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s pretty cute that you’re all embarrassed now that I’m here,” he jested, knowing it would get a rise out of her. Isabella snapped her eyes to his, prepared to argue, but lost her nerve immediately and covered her face with both of her hands. She let out a quiet squeal, causing Leon to burst into a deep belly laughter. He could feel the uneasiness as well, and it made him laugh even harder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? I’m not this person like.. In person!” Leon’s laughter was drowning her out a bit. Isabella uncovered her face, cheeks red, and groaned at his expression. “It’s hard for me, okay?! Maybe not you! I just don’t do this kind of thing and I’m not the type-- </span>
  <em>
    <span>will you stop laughing at me?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Her plea almost fell on deaf ears, but he put a hand up, still clutching his abdomen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he barked out. As he glanced at her eyes, she was trying not to laugh at the situation, a smirk breaking through as she turned away from him. Leon coughed through his laughs in an attempt to control them. “No, I’m sorry. Really.” Isabella could feel the atmosphere becoming lighter, and offered a small chuckle, doing her best to hide it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She folded her arms in a quick manner, letting out a loud “hmph!” Leon snickered at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, okay then,” he sighed, standing up from the bed. “Guess I’ll just have to leave and go do something else…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella peeked from the corner of her eye to see Leon slowly walking towards the door, shoulders slumped forward. She rolled her eyes and, with a grin, jumped up from the bed and grabbed his arm, turning him back towards her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not fair,” she huffed. “You said you’d find us some time and a place to talk. And we haven’t done that so I’m pretty sure it’s illegal if you leave.” Leon chuckled. Her hand released from his arm and he took the initiative and grabbed onto it. It brought a smile to her face immediately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it’s illegal, is it..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhm. I would know that. I’m a professional.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smirked at her, offering a subtle laugh, before stepping closer. The playful smirk fell from her face into an anxious small smile. Her eyes drifted from his to his nose and then to his lips as he got closer. As she met his eyes again, she did not see the warm, affectionate gaze she was used to. His partly lidded eyes were locked on hers, dancing between them and glancing towards her lips. “Mm.. well, I guess I can’t leave then, can I?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her lips parted. The seductive tones to his deep voice and feeling the warmth of his body so close to hers tore through her body. Slowly, he intertwined their fingers as he grasped her other hand. Isabella let out a nervous breath, glancing down at their hands before meeting his eyes once more. She could see the desire in his eyes, faithfully dancing between his to hers. Her anxious smile showed through the thick atmosphere, and she managed to whisper, “I guess not…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leon’s lips tugged at a coy smirk, intertwining their fingers on the other hand. The comfortable warmth between them eased her, and she began to reciprocate his energy. She took a daring step closer, leaning on her leg. As she looked into his eyes, she felt a flutter in her stomach and a lightness to her body. Isabella felt pulled to his body as if there were a powerful magnetic attraction between them. “Hm… I think you’re trying to get me flustered…” came her breathy reply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He chuckled softly at her accusation, bringing a flirty smile to her face, as he brushed the hair away from her flushed cheek. “Is it working?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The playful gaze in her eyes said otherwise, yet she grinned and turned away. “Maybe.” Leon beamed at her, sexual tension building in his chest and slowly unfolding down his body. When she turned back to his face, his eyes drew her in and she offered a soft tilt to her head. The drowning metronome of the shower cut, and all they could hear was the exhaust from the bathroom. Leon let out a discontent sigh, knowing their encounter was cut shorter than he wanted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… when do you think you can get away…?” He asked in a hushed tone. Her eyes bounced between his, unable to speak. Despite knowing Hop was about to walk out, she found herself glued to the floor, feeling drawn in to Leon. Yet, she knew it would be bad if Hop found them like this when she, herself, did not know what it was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Isabella whispered, releasing his hands. Leon grabbed her right hand one more time, bringing it to his face. He planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand, and Isabella flushed a soft pink on her cheeks. Her bracelet crawled down her arm and the gentle jingle of the charms made him smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’re wearing this,” he smiled, brushing his thumb across her fingers. “Talk to Hop later and we’ll find a time…” Isabella smiled at him, intoxicated by the smell of his cologne. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a brief surge of courage, Isabella said, “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to be around you without smiling or blushing.” Leon grinned at her, taking the initiative to walk back to the bed and sat down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds like you’re just going to have to control yourself, huh?” She rolled her eyes at him, leaning on her left leg and glancing over her shoulder at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do girls really fall for this stuff?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leon’s eyes softened at her, a genuine smile crossing his face. “It only matters if you do. I don’t care about anyone else.” Isabella’s eyes lit up briefly before she glanced at the ground to hide the wide grin expanding on her face. Leon felt elated at her reaction, his lidded eyes glancing down for a moment before looking back towards her. Isabella swayed over to the table against the wall, placing her hands on her black drawstring bag and began to prepare it for exploring the city. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The bathroom door finally opened, and Hop walked out wearing nothing but a pair of cargo shorts, roughly drying the last bits of his hair. He met Leon’s eyes and smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m surprised you were able to find your way up here,” he jested, throwing his towel to the side and walking over to his brother. Leon scoffed for a moment before nodding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"At least things are numbered in here," he agreed. "Finding buildings is way harder."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Lee, buildings are numbered, too," Isabella laughed, glancing over. "They're called addresses." He met her eyes, watching as a blush fell on her cheeks and she turned away. He laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, well they're not nearly as easy to navigate." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop added, "Honestly, how did you even make it all the way to Wyndon on your challenge?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I had Sonia with me," he admitted. "But I would've been fine! I had Charizard too."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"When he was a Charmander, he couldn't find his way out of the house for hours."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that remark, Leon's Pokeball began to wiggle on his belt. Hop began chuckling as he began sifting through his bag for a shirt to wear. Leon sighed, "You've got him all riled up, now." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella turned to face the brothers, waving her hands. “Boys, come now. Your mom’s going to be pissed </span>
  <em>
    <span>at me </span>
  </em>
  <span>if you two fight and I didn’t do anything to stop it.” They both turned to face her, expressions causing her a momentary flush of emotions. Hop's gentle eyes and friendly smile compared to Leon's warm gaze and flirtatious smirk were overwhelming her. Being in the same room with the pair of brothers was unusual now. The new attraction she felt pulling her towards Leon and the knowledge that Hop would be upset about it -- for both having the feelings and also for keeping it a secret from him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Isabella's lips separated, the anxiety began to fill her like water flooding her lungs. Leon seemed to notice immediately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Why don't you get a shirt on, Hop?" Leon chimed in, standing up to draw Hop's attention. His little brother met his eyes, as intended. "We can go explore the festivities. League PR wants me out in the public eye this weekend, anyhow." Hop gave a nod before heading to his bag for a shirt. Isabella met Leon's eyes, mouthing a 'thank you' to him. He simply smiled in return. Despite not having been romantic nor having had the discussion about where they stood in their friendship and possible relationship, Isabella was glad Leon was already able to see when he needed to step in. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>“That is the tenth girl to stop him for a picture,” Hop groaned to his best friend as they stood on the sidewalk, watching Leon taking pictures with his fans. “We haven’t even made it to the lower level of the city.” Isabella offered a sympathetic smile to Hop before glancing at Leon. He was right, however. Leon was stopping a lot to greet fans, take pictures, and sign various things from Pokeballs to clothing. It was in those moments Isabella had forgotten how charismatic he could be. How much of a natural leader he was. How he cared for people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It comes with the job, Hop,” Isabella reassured. “If you manage to beat him, you’ll be doing this, too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>If</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Hop scoffed. “I’m taking his throne.” She grinned at her friend with a chuckle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even if you make it to the championship, reporters and fans watching the matches are going to stop you throughout the challenge,” she continued, watching as the fans shamelessly threw themselves at Leon. “They tend to pick out a few challengers that show promise and follow their journey.” Hop sighed, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I just never really thought about it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Isabella gave Hop a comforting pat on the shoulder, Leon walked back over to them. “Sorry about that. Come on, let’s head down to the stalls.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the next few hours passed, Hop, Leon, and Isabella browsed the wares and enjoyed some of the festival food. With each passing encounter Leon had with fans and reporters, Hop grew more and more agitated. Isabella did her best to keep him calm but Hop hated watching his brother stop to do whatever to make the strangers happy. Isabella didn’t mind so much, knowing that this was a huge week for the League and for his career. His appearances in the public and professional environments would set the tone for this year’s challenge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop, on the other hand, only saw it through years of standing in his brother’s shadow -- just another thing keeping him from enjoying his own life and his own person. As Isabella did her best to distract Hop from Leon and his natural magnetism towards his fans, she became distressed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop, come on,” she urged, her hands slapping against her hips in frustration. “I’m really trying my best to make sure you have fun. You’ve gotta meet me halfway. Even twenty-five percent. Just give me something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop’s furled brow and subtle snarl set the tone, and she sighed. “No,” came his stern tone. “I’m tired of it, Iz. I’m so sick of not being able to do my own thing without everything becoming about him.” Hop threw his half-finished drink into the garbage can with a violent force before readjusting his backpack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, let’s go back to the room. I don’t want to be out here anymore.” As Hop began to walk away from the street, Isabella found herself glued to the pavement. It took mere seconds for Hop to realize she wasn’t by his side. As he met her eyes over his shoulder, he turned to face her. “What are you doing? Come on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella’s lips parted but she couldn’t find the words to speak. With every millisecond of silence, betrayal ran across her best friend’s face. His jaw began to tense and his eyes began to squint at her. “Hop…” she pleaded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you really going to stay out here and follow him around like you’re just another one of his fangirls?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella felt a pang in her stomach at his poisonous words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop, we came all this way -- just you and me -- to be here to enjoy this. To celebrate. To strike out on our own. Your words, by the way,” she insisted, taking one step towards him. “Are you really going to just go sulk in the room?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop scoffed, a smile of disbelief on his face, as he turned his gaze away from her. Her supportive intentions soon became clouded, and Isabella began to frown. “Out of all people, I can’t believe you would say that to me.” Hop turned away, walking towards the hotel, when Isabella lunged out and grabbed his arm, forcing him back towards her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you don’t get to do this,” she snapped. “You don’t get to play the brooding little brother card right now--” Isabella poked Hop in the chest to further exacerbate her point “--and play the victim. I came out here with you because we’re best friends. You see Leon as little as it is. This isn’t just him being some kind of attention whore, Hop. It’s his job. And if you don’t like it, then we can go off on our own and enjoy a different part of the city.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Izzy, I’m not doing this with you.” His voice was quiet and still, yet Isabella felt the last few hours worth of irritation building up.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you’re not. I’ve been supportive of you and how you feel about it, but we’re doing this so you can follow your dream. You need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>put it behind you</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>start working on yourself</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Start enjoying things instead of finding </span>
  <em>
    <span>any </span>
  </em>
  <span>reason to blame your brother for his success.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Stop it!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Hop barked at her, startling some of the nearby tourists and trainers. Isabella jumped back, leaning away from Hop. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>said </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m not doing this with you,” Hop hissed through his teeth. His eyes lost their luster and Isabella felt a very strong disconnect from him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you wanna follow him around like a lost Wooloo then fine. I don’t care. I’m going back to the room.” Hop spun on his heel and stormed away from her. Isabella couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he stomped through the crowd towards the inn. He had gotten frustrated before with Leon in crowds like this, sure, but he had never reacted to her like that. Nor had he ever had such a visceral reaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Iz?” Leon’s deep voice was riddled with concern. “Where’s Hop?” Leon wasn’t as aware of his little brother’s malcontent as everyone else was. He still saw Hop as his little brother, and the one he had to guide, so it was hard for him to really see the bad. And she knew with how much Leon cared for his family, he would take it especially hard when he knew just how much Hop had done to protect himself from being used as a means to reach Leon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella did her best to release the tension from her face as she turned to face Leon. His eyes scanned her face. “What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“.. I guess he was tired, afterall. He was starting to get a little grouchy so he went back to the room to rest.” Leon’s eyes met hers. She could feel his uncertainty trying to decipher her statement. “Maybe we can head up there later and order in some room service. He’s always happier after he’s eaten.” Leon’s lips pinched to one side of his face, glancing over towards the inn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright. That sounds fine,” he agreed. As he met Isabella’s eyes once more, she felt the fluttery feeling in her stomach and involuntarily smiled. With a grin, Leon said, “Come on. Someone told me they have crepe stand down near the entrance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the two began to walk towards the elevator to head down, Leon stood close to her. Almost protectively so. Isabella’s senses were heightened and her mind raced, trying to come up with every possible answer as to why he might do that. They made it the entire way to the elevator without being stopped, and some fans allowed them onto the elevator in front of them. Leon offered a hearty ‘thank you’ before gesturing Isabella onto the platform first. Once off to the side and alone, Isabella glanced around at the crowd of people watching Leon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Lee?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes instantly met hers. “Hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel like they’re taking more photos of you without asking than coming up to you specifically for one,” she stated. His head tilted for a moment before he glanced around at all of the people both on and off the platform. With a slight nod, and a smile towards all of his fans, he turned back to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In crowds like this, that tends to happen.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I figured but… Is that what the League wants? I mean… fans posting photos of you...” As she began to trail off, Leon picked up where she left off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“... that they might post photos of me and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and make an assumption?” Her cheeks flushed immediately as he finished his sentence, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “Izzy, they’re going to do that regardless. You know how many people post photos of the gym leaders, trying to start rumors that they’re dating a fan? Or sleeping around? Or taking a photo out of context to try and instigate something?” He placed a hand on her upper arm gently to bring her eyes back to his own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could feel the cameras on them, and Leon could see the anxiety in her eyes. “If it bothers you, we can leave. Go hang out with Hop in the room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lee, you need to be out in the public.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled at his generosity, but stood her ground. “You said it yourself. They’ll take the pictures. I’ll be fine. I promise.” She gave a soft chuckle. “Besides, they might have fried pumpkin at the crepe stand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leon immediately lit up at the thought, and Isabella couldn’t stop the laughter from coming out of her. The platform began to move to the lower level with grace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll have to take a picture to rub in Hop’s face,” Leon said, pulling a fist in front of his chest. Isabella rolled her eyes at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just don’t get too much. I’m not going to sit with you all night while you cry about your stomachache.” As the two began walking towards the entrance of the city, Leon’s brow furrowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Between you and my mom, I’ll never hear the end of that.” She grinned at him. “And I’m not the one that made </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much </span>
  </em>
  <span>of it. It’s actually your fault I had a stomachache, if you think about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>my fault</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yeah. If you didn’t make so much, I wouldn’t have had so much that I could’ve eaten.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You should just have some self-control, Lee.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“So should you. Don’t make so much.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I did that so you would have some for the next few days, you big </span>
  <em>
    <span>dumb man</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You should’ve told me that!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I didn’t think I had to! There were two, </span>
  <em>
    <span>large </span>
  </em>
  <span>serving platters!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leon began to laugh at Isabella, noticing she was getting genuinely frustrated with him as her tone became more curt. “It’s not funny! Your mom got mad at me!” Her statement only made his laughter grow louder, and she flushed pink, trying to glare at him but only managing to try and bite back her smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine!” She began to shout over his laughter. “Eat all the fried pumpkin! See if I care! Chris can pet your back and show you cute videos of </span>
  <em>
    <span>his adorable Axew</span>
  </em>
  <span>-- oh wait. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He doesn’t have one!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” As they approached the main area with the stalls and vendors, Leon’s laughter began to die down. Isabella grinned at him, feeling residual joy at the sound of his laughter. It brought her happiness that she was able to make him laugh like that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leon paused in his walk, his smile fading. Isabella glanced back at him once she realized he wasn’t walking with her anymore, and stopped in her tracks. “Lee?” He gave her a glance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a reporter up ahead... “ He said quietly. Isabella glanced over to see a young woman and her cameraman reporting at the main stairs into Motostoke, taking statements from various people and their Pokemon. “There’s a chance I’ll probably get pulled in for an interview. I’ll make it quick. Why don’t you head over to the stand?” Isabella eyed the reporter before smiling at Leon with a nod. He met her eyes, unable to hold back a grin of his own, before walking into the small crowd gathered around the reporter. As Isabella dodged other people to make her way out of the crowd, she turned back to watch Leon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He began greeting some of the fans, offering handshakes and hugs where they seemed to be requested. He knelt down to take pictures with some of the younger children, being doted upon by mothers, and signed some of the Pokeballs that were offered to him. It took mere seconds for the reporter to rush over to Leon. Her platinum blonde hair seemed to bounce with her as she jogged over. Leon’s camera-winning smile never left his face as he answered her questions on camera. During his interview, one of the children he took a picture with ran out of his mother’s arms and over to Leon, tugging on his cape. With a slightly startled glance, Leon chuckled and lifted the child up into his arms, carrying on with the questions the reporter had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella grinned at Leon as he bounced the child in his arms, pointing to the camera and waving with the young boy. With a nod, the reporter signaled the cameraman to lower his camera. Leon turned back towards the mother and handed the boy back over to her. He stopped her from walking away as he reached into his bag under his cloak and pulled out a copy of his hat for the young man. Isabella could hear the child’s scream in delight from meters away and couldn’t resist chuckling. Leon slapped the hat onto the child before waving to the crowd. The cheers and applause were righteous. As Leon began to walk over to Isabella, the reporter stopped Leon as her cameraman began to play with the settings on his camera, lifting it periodically to the crowd. Isabella assumed he was getting some filler footage of the festivities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t realize how intently she was watching Leon interact with the reporter until she noticed her eyes were a little dry. It was only a minute -- maybe two -- before Leon turned his back to the reporter, his winning charisma seeming to have faded. He shot one glance back toward the woman before he reached Isabella. Meeting her eyes, he offered her a smile. “Come on, Iz. Let’s get something to eat.” He placed a gentle hand on her upper arm to turn her gently away from the previous crowd before sliding it to her upper back, guiding her towards the stalls. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>As the day began to wind into sunset, Isabella and Leon found themselves walking down the hallway of Hop and Isabella’s hotel room. Isabella was furiously checking her bag for the spare key when she came to the glaring realization that Hop never gave her the other one. Leon, with a raised brow, glanced at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He didn’t give you a key?” Isabella sighed softly, and that gave Leon his answer. “We can just knock… right?” Words that would normally make her laugh made her freeze for a moment. Not only did she argue with Hop and put her foot down, she also didn’t follow him back to the room. She didn’t want to upset him further. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that should be fine. He should wake up.” The pause Isabella took was a bit too long, because Leon stopped her hand before she knocked on the door. She glanced toward him, confusion across her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Iz,” he stated, his voice firm but hushed. “He wasn’t just tired today, was he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her brow furrowed ever so slightly. “Why would you ask that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you’re not subtle and I can tell you don’t really want to go in,” came his quiet reply. “I’ve watched you and Hop have these arguments for years.” Isabella’s brow twitched slightly at the comment, but she nodded nonetheless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you can go grab some food for him, and I can go in and talk him down…? He was probably just feeling anxious about everything going on and you know he can get touchy sometimes.” Leon nodded with a soft smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, that sounds good. You head on in. I’ll be back in 30 minutes or so.” Leon smiled at her and placed his hand gingerly on her upper arm, giving a soft squeeze. He held her eyes for a moment before walking back towards the elevator. Isabella felt her cheeks flush as she watched Leon walk toward the elevator before giving a timid knock on the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After waving to Leon as he exited onto the elevator, the hotel room door opened to reveal and disheveled Hop. His deep lavender hair was pulled into short tufts and his messy bun had been pulled astray. The bags under his eyes and the dropped look to his eyelids told her all she needed to know. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You fall asleep on your face…?” came out the unintended question. Isabella immediately bit her lips at the question as it poured from her mouth, and she couldn’t pull her eyes away from Hop. He raised a drowsy eyebrow at her, debating on his response for a moment, before he cracked a small smile and chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still look better than you, though,” came his retort. Isabella let out a relieved sigh and smiled at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You wish, you fucking nerd,” she chuckled, pushing him aside as she entered the room and threw her bag onto the ground. “Also, can I have my key for the room? You really weren’t kidding about that whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>not-giving-me-a-key </span>
  </em>
  <span>thing.” As Hop closed the door and followed her in, he gestured to the dresser as he passed it to guide her to the extra key before plopping back onto the bed, which was in massive disarray. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All yours,” Hop sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Isabella pulled the key into her wallet, she looked over at her friend. It looked as if he had come back into the room, tore most of his clothes off, then crashed into the bed until she got back. He seemed disquiet and distant, but at least not seething anymore. She approached Hop and sat down next to him on the bed, placing a gentle hand on his. He met her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop, I’m really sorry if I upset you today. I didn’t mean to,” came her heartfelt apology. “It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>really coming from a place of good intention. I didn’t want you to miss out on the experience.” Hop said nothing as she spoke, but nodded after she finished her sentence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just-...” He cut his frustration off immediately and let out another sigh. “You… You know how I feel about that stuff. And I just think that… With everything going on… It felt like you wanted to be with Lee more than me. And the way he looks at--... I mean just..” Hop began to ramble. His sentences seemed to begin to meld together as he spoke, and he was struggling to find what he wanted to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He did this often when he didn’t want to upset Isabella. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s just me but… does he seem different to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Isabella swallowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Different how?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop’s lips pushed to one side and his eyes shifted to the floor. “I don’t know. I feel like he’s looking at you like you’re actually a girl now,” he chuckled. “Which, I mean, you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop cleared his voice, nudging his friend with a smirk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But… he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows </span>
  </em>
  <span>how I feel about that. And why now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop, stop,” Isabella interrupted. Hop immediately caught her eyes. Whether it was to show he was listening or to discern if she was telling the truth, Isabella wasn’t sure. “I’m only going to say it once more, because you’ve had me reassure you </span>
  <em>
    <span>so many times</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Leon and I are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>a thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, Iz. You’re not a good liar,” Hop huffed, standing up from the bed. Isabella’s head tilted slightly. Was she not a good liar…? He certainly hadn’t caught on yet… Maybe he’s just a bad judge of character... “I’d be able to tell… But what if he decides that it isn’t good enough anymore?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hop,” Isabella sighed, her hands becoming clammy. She grasped them together on her lap to prevent herself from fidgeting. “Even if he did decide to change his mind, it wouldn’t change us. Do you honestly think that we would ever do something without considering your feelings?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop snapped his head to look at her. She could see the disgust on his face at the idea. “Iz, I don’t ask a lot but please… Just don’t. Not with Lee. Anyone else? Fine. But not him.” Isabella held Hop’s eyes for a moment. She knew he was looking for her to immediately agree with him. And she would. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she took a brief moment to debate on telling him about the text messages. Or the flirting. Or how she would lose her breath for a moment when he caught her looking at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anything for you, Hop.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she didn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Coward</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop smiled at her, a breath of relief escaping his lips. “Good,” came his reply. “I don’t mean to keep asking but… he just gets this look in his eye when he looks at you these days and I just.. I just don’t want it to mean what it seems like it means.” Isabella rolled her eyes as best she could, doing her best not to smile at the notion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The only thing you should feel about your brother right now is happiness. Because he’s coming up here soon with food for you,” she stated. Hop couldn’t hide the grin on his face. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>And </span>
  </em>
  <span>you should apologize to him. Because he thought -- correctly, I might add -- that you were upset with him and he feels bad.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop rolled his eyes and walked to the mirror to fix his hair. “Fine. But he has to bring a movie for us to watch while we eat. Just like the old days.” They smiled at each other and Isabella nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll tell him now.” </span>
</p>
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